454 ouchid-grower's manual. 



L. DIGBYANA-MOSSIAE, Solfe.—We have here a cross between Brassdvola 

 (Laelia) Digbyana&nd Cattleya Mosaiae, raised by Mr. Seden. This beautiful hybrid 

 is now about ten years old, and has somewhat short pseudobulbs, which carry a 

 single leaf ; in this matter of shortness of pseudobulbs it partakes of the habit 

 of its parent, the Brassavola, but its flowers are of good size ; the leaves are 

 between 8 and 9 inches long, of a rich green colour, and quite destitute of the 

 glaucous hue of the Brassavola; the flowers as yet are few in number upon the 

 scape, and measure about 6 inches across, but as the plant gains in strength 

 the flowers will in all probability increase in size; sepals linear lanceolate; 

 petals obtusely oblong, much broader than the sepals, toothed at the edges, all 

 being of a delicate soft rosy -lilac ; lip large, about 3 inches long, not flattened 

 out as in Brassavola, three-lobed, of a delicate rosy-lilac, heavily fringed round 

 the edge of the front lobe, with a streak of crimson-lake and numerous splashes 

 of the same colour in front ; between the rosy-lilac fringed border and the 

 throat is a zone of white, the throat in front is deep yellow, marked with 

 radiating streaks of richer yellow, the base profusely marked with minute dots 

 of crimson-lake. — Oarden hybrid. 



¥iG.—Gard. C'liron., 3rd ser., 1889, v. p. 657. f. Ill ; Jmrn. o^ Ilort., 1889, xviii. 

 p. 421, f. 68 ; Orchid Album, x. t. 449. 



L. DOMINIANA, Rolfe. — ^This glorious hybrid was raised in Messrs. Veitch's 

 nursery by the late Mr. Dominy, and is the result of a cross between Cattleya 

 Dowiana and a species of Laelia, probably L. elegans. It is similar in habit to 

 Cattleya Mossiae, having short fusiform one-leaved pseudobulbs, but the leaves 

 are longer, more in the way of L. elegans. The flowers are as large as those of 

 that species, and splendidly coloured; the sepals and petals are bright rosy- 

 purple, with dark reticulations, and are similar in shape and size to those of 

 C. Doiviana, while the lip is of an intense and beautiful deep blood purple, the 

 rich dark colour being carried to the margin, and the tube only showing a little 

 of the golden venation of G. Dowiana. It is to be regretted that this plant, 

 through being a hybrid, must always be scarce, as its great beauty and dis- 

 tinctness claim for it the premier position among the dark-flowered Laelias. 

 It flowers in August. — Garden hybrid. 



Fig. — Floral Mag., 2nd ser., t. 325. 



L. DOMINIANA ROSEA, Bolfe.—A very fine hybrid Laelia raised by the late 

 Mr. Dominy, probably from L. purpurata, crossed with C. Dowiana. The flowers 

 are of moderate size, the sepals and petals are pale lilac-rose, and the lip is in the 

 way of that of C. Dowiana, of a rich purple-crimson, and well crisped at the 

 margin. If inch wide, and upwards of 2 inches long. It is very distinct. — ■ 

 Oarden hybrid. 



L. ELEGANS, Bolfe. — A magnificent species, usually considered to be a 

 natural hybrid, Laelia purpurata and Cattleya guttata Leopoldii being believed to 

 be the parents of most of the forms ; it has slender terete clavate stems, 2 feet 

 high or more, bearing at the top one or two linear-oblong coriaceous evergreen 

 leaves, and a two- to seven-flowered peduncle issuing from an oblong blunt 

 spathe. The flowers are 4 to 5 inches across, and are produced at different 

 times of the year, lasting in perfection for about three weeks. Of this species 

 there are many varieties, differing in the shade of colour of their flowers, which 

 varies from white to light rose, pink, crimson, and rosy-purple. In the typical 



