LRLIA SUPERBIENS. 
(Stately Laelia.) 
Class . Order. 
GYNANDRXA. MONANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
ORCHID ACE M. 
Generic Character. — Sepals explanate, lanceolate, 
qual. Petals larger, slightly dissimilar. Labellum 
I iree-parted, lamellate, wrapping over the column. 
olumn winged, fleshy, front surface channelled. 
! nthers eight-celled. Pollen-masses eight. Caudi- 
\ilce four, elastic. — Lindley. 
Specific Character — Plant an epiphyte. Pseudo- 
Ms elongated, swollen in the centre, channelled, 
slightly compressed. Leaves rigid, shining, sharp- 
pointed, about the length of pseudo-bulbs. Scape 
erect, very thick and strong. Bracts ventricose, acute, 
sheathing the scape. Flowers numerous at the extre- 
mity of the scape. Sepals linear-oblong. Petals ob- 
tuse, broader than the sepals. Lip three-lobed, shorter 
than petals. Column arched. Anthers furnished with 
a two-eared crest. Clinandrium with indented edges. 
The admirers of Orehidacem have to thank the Horticultural Society of 
London for many of the most splendid plants of the tribe which they possess, and 
specially among those of South American origin. The beautiful family of 
C attleya , and its kindred genus Lcelia , have been greatly augmented by the 
ldustry and zeal of their collector, Mr. Hartweg, w T ho gathered and sent over to 
10 Society a great number of species, and amongst them the present. As it was 
awarded in considerable quantity, it has found its way into many collections. 
lr. Skinner has also the merit of having introduced it very extensively. 
Till the present season, however, its flowers have only been known in this 
>untry through dried specimens, and the plates given in Mr. Batemans superb 
ork on Guatemalan Orchidacese. About the latter end of February last, how- 
re r, a fine specimen grown by Mr. Brewster, gardener to Mrs. Wray, of Oakfield, 
iar Cheltenham, was exhibited at the rooms of the Horticultural Society, and 
om which we were kindly permitted to prepare the accompanying coloured figure, 
nother specimen, but less perfect, has since flowered in the Society’s gardens. 
We learn from Mr. Bateman’s work, just alluded to, that it is found growing 
it of the crevices of the rocks in the cooler districts of Guatemala, chiefly in 
aces which are sheltered from the keenness of the northern winds. In such 
tuations, the pseudo-bulbs sometimes grow twenty-two inches high, and have 
)wer-scapes four yards long, crowned with upwards of twenty flowers. This 
| imense size, however, is far from being common ; and when the plants are not 
otected on the north side, they are very small, and have an imperfect stunted 
11 
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