THE ORCHID REVIEW. 275 
L#LIA PUMILA AND L. DAYANA. 
A QUESTION has been raised by a pondent as to the disti or 
otherwise of the forms of the pretty little Lelia pumila group, which are 
again beginning to flower, and as their history has been much confused, an 
account of them may probably prove interesting. 
Lelia pumila was originally described in the Botanical Magazine, in 1839, 
under the name of Cattleya pumila, froma plant which flowered in the 
collection of John Allcard, Esq., in the previous year. It was said to have 
been received from the Essequibo, but the statement probably originated in 
some mistake, as the species is unquestionably Brazilian. It was discovered 
by Gardner on the Organ Mountains in April, 1837, and is noted as “ found 
on the small branches of trees; very rare.” In 1844 it was also figured in 
the Botanical Register, from a plant which flowered in the establish- 
ment of Messrs. Loddiges, of Hackney, where its original introduc- 
tion is attributed to a French dealer, M. Pinel, who sent it from Brazil 
under the name of Cattleya marginata. It was afterwards stated that M. 
Pinel originally sent plants to M. Morel, an amateur of Orchids at Paris. 
This particular plant, Cattleya marginata, had been figured in the 
Previous year in Paxton’s Magazine of Botany, from a plant which flowered 
in October, 1842, with Messrs. Loddiges, who appear to have received an 
importation about this time, probably from M. Pinel. A few years later it 
was also figured in the Florist. 
In 1844 a plant flowered in Messrs. Rollisson’s Nursery to which the 
name of Cattleya Pinelii was given, which clearly indicates its origin. 
This was doubtfully admitted as distinct by Lindley, who remarked that it 
differed from C. pumila in having white sepals and rose-coloured petals, 
which were straight and almost exactly ovate, but was insufficiently known. 
In 1850 a plant was figured in the Florist under the name of Cattleya 
spectabilis. This, too, had flowered with Messrs. Loddiges, who exhibited 
it at one of the Royal Horticultural Society's Shows at Chiswick. The 
following note was contributed by Messrs. Loddiges :—‘‘ With respect sy 
the Cattleya spectabilis, we received a small parcel of Orchids from Brazil 
in the spring of 1849, amongst which were some Cattleyas having the 
appearance of marginata; many of these flowered as such. This being 
stronger in growth evidently appeared different, and flowered in June, when 
it was exhibited at Chiswick ; it seemed to be an extraordinarily fine variety 
of marginata.” : : 
In 1853 Reichenbach showed that Cattleya pumila was a true Lelia, 
and gave the name under which it is now known, considering most of the 
Preceding as forms of the same species, which they evidently are. é 
In 1857 the same author described Lelia prestans from a plant which 
