M
siibtriquc
I. in Paxi. FI. G . I- (1853-3), pp. m . Il:
^o ; Jcnn. Orcli., t. 22 ; G.vd. Chron., 1883, |it. 3, pp. 53.
Cattllya liRï-siANA, Lsm.Jard. Fleur., III. (1852), [. 275.
Ul.ETtA purpuhata, Rclib. f. in Wali>. Ann., VI., p. 423.
L,1U.1A CASrERlAXA, Rclib. T in Koch Wochenschiift, 11. (1859), p. 336.
il. Chron., 1S83, pt. 2,
\NA, Uclib. f. in (
lis splendid Sf
originally 1X46, growing on 1
VersdialTcIl, of G
CMintry in 1852. when ¡t
Limlley as one of ihc mosl striking novelties which had
ic loMlity, one of which on Hoovering w«s thought to be a ne^>• Cattlcy.-i,
1. Rj 1 Flore dia Serres, t. 1183 ;
s, in the- island of Samo Cathcrinn, in Southern Rraiil. Tlie folloivl,
Betnium, one of which paiscd inio the uslabiishmcni of Messra,
s exhibited al a raccling of tlic Morlicullural Socicty, srnl dcscribcd
1S50 M. B>y», of Dnrnhcm, Antwerp, also rcccivcd plants from the
Cattlcya Hrysl.iim, by l-emaire, in 1852.
to Ihe «TOng genu.?. Cnillcya Brj'siana
^vith L. ck'ipin». l.tlia C.isperiana arcl
ch.iraclcr. The 5|)eci«i is very variable in
iviili ihe front loi« of thu lip of the
>nl lobe of die lip while or pale rosy
A wonderful orchid which has been designated " the prince of LrcHas" by some, and by others the " king- of orchids," and
without doubt these titles arc well merited, for not only are the flowers gorgeous in colouring, but they are also of large
size and of various shades—from white to the richest crimson-purple and orange, blossoming in the summer months
and lasting in perfection a long time. No collection is complete without this noble plant. In 1846 François Devos
discovered it in the vicinity of Santa Catharina, and sent plants to Ghent, vv-here they found a home in the celebrated
horticultural establishment of M. Verschaffcit, who afterwards distributed them ; one of these plants was acquired by
Messrs. Backhouse, of York, who Howcred it in 1852, when it was described by Dr. Lindley as h. purpurata. In 1850
M. Biys, of Antwerp, also obtained plants fj-om the island of Santa Catherina, which on flowering were described as
Cattleya Brysiana—a name soon superseded by the oue given by Lindley, Since its introduction by Devos into Belgium
from Santa Catherina, no such magnificent L.-clia has been discovered in any part of the world, although many rumours
have from time to time been afloat describing truly mai-velious " finds." It is not improbable thai the next ten years
may reveal some extraordinary Brazilian treasures, such as Cattleyas, L;flias, &c., for Brazil is a country teeming with
epiphytes, and an empire so vast as to be unsearchable,
L. purpurata is now widely distributed in collections, many amateurs growing quite a lai^/e number of plants both
to enrich and ornament their houses and also for exhibition purposes. Enormous specimens may be seen annually at
the London and provincial shows, ablaze with huge spikes of noble blossoms, cleariy indicating thai the culture of this
regal orchid is now much better understood than formerly, when enormous quantities were stewed to death in hot, shady,
insuHiciently ventilated structures. It should be grou-n in a bright, sunny position near the glass, with just suflicient
shading to exclude the hottest of the sun's rays, and rested >vhen the growths are fully developed by keeping the soil in a
comparatively dry state.
Our pbtc was taken from the collection at Trcnlhain I'ark, the seat of His Grace the Diikc of Suthcrl-wd,
Í:Ú