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CATTLEYA HARRISONI^. 
(mRS. HARUISOn's CATTLEYA.) 
CLASS. 
GYNANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER 
ORCHIDEiE. 
Generic Character. — See vol. i. p. 151, 
Specific Character. — An Epiphyte. Stems very numerous, each from twelve to sixteen inches long, 
rather slender, and slightly furrowed between four apparent angles, two of which, one on each side, 
are most obvious. Leaves nearly dark green, flat, upwards of six inches long, of an ovate figure 
tapering nearly to a point. Spathe three inches long, generally rounded at the top. Flowerstalk 
nearly round, supporting mostly four or five flowers. Sepals nearly equal in size, of a delicate but 
beautiful rose and blue colour. Lip two inches and a half in length, paler than the sepals, somewhat 
curved downwards. Column half the length of the lip and overlapped by it, of a pale colour. 
Among cultivators of OrchidecB, this superb plant has long* been known as 
Mrs. Harrison's variety, having- been considered merely a variety of the well-known 
species C Loddigesii ; but after repeated observations on these two plants when 
both in a high state of flowering-, we feel satisfied that we have not done wrong in 
considering it in the light of a distinct species, and therefore have named it in 
compliment to the late Mrs. Harrison (the name it has gone under as a variety), of 
Aigburgh, near Liverpool. The points wherein these two plants differ, have 
been for such a length of time so perfectly constant, that the greatest reliance may 
with safety be placed upon them. They are chiefly to the following eff*ect: — The 
stems of C. Loddigesii are more rounded, invariably stronger, and shorter than 
those of C. Harrisonice, which always appear more delicate, are less bulky, and five 
or six inches longer ; in the leaves also there is a striking diff'erence, those of the 
former being firmer, broader, and always of a darker texture ; but perhaps the most 
obvious disagreement will be found in the flowers, for while those of the former 
have the sepals and petals considerably refiexed downwards, and freckled as it were 
over every part except the lip, with small dark purple spots, those parts of the latter 
are scarcely at all bent, and entirely free from spots. In a word, so strikingly diff'erent 
is the aspect of these two plants, even when not in flower, that any one seeing them 
order. 
MONANDRIA. 
