The late 1800s were a turbulent time for the concept that a small difference in number of pollinia warranted establishment of a new genus. James Veitch pointedly expressed the frustration of the horticultural community in his excellent Manual of Orchidaceous Plants when he wrote in 1887 that “it is much to be regretted that the distinguished authors of the Genera Plantarum [the botanists Bentham and Hooker] should have thought fit to have still kept them [Laelia and Cat-tleya] distinct.” Veitch would have included all Laelias in the genus Cattleya, not just the large-flowered ones.

The large-flowered Brazilian Laelias are a distinct group within the present genus Laelia. They occur only in Brazil. There are none in Mexico or anywhere else in the Americas. They include primarily Laelia purpurata, Laelia crispa, Laelia lobata, Laelia grandis and Laelia tenebrosa and are usually referred to as the “Cattleyode” or Cattleya-like Laelias. Recent DNA studies (Lindleyana, 15[2]:96–114) have confirmed what has been clear for more than 100 years, that these Cattleyode Laelias are quite different from the Mexican Laelias and they do not belong in the genus Laelia. It is now time to look at these large-flowered Brazilian Laelias for what they are — large-flowered Cattleya species. The only botanical change, of course, that is needed to accomplish this, is to define the Cattleya species as we have always done, but add that a Cattleya has from four to eight pollinia.

One of the most compelling arguments for including the large-flowered Brazilian Laelias in the genus Cattleya is the ease with which they breed with the large-flowered Cattleya species,and the normal character of the flowers of the resulting hybrids. In this respect, these large-flowered Brazilian Laelias are more closely related to the large-flowered labiata-type Cattleyas than Cattleya labiata is to the bifoliate cut-lip Cattleya species, where lip and other flower distortions do occur in their hybrids. Flower distortions also occur when Sophronitis species are crossed with these Laelias. The Grand Monarch of these large-flowered Brazilian species, of course, is Laelia purpurata, which has been a parent at one time or another in more than 90 percent of all so-called Laeliocattleya hybrids.

Laelia purpurata is without doubt one of the finest of all cultivated orchids. In addition to its large showy flowers, it has one of the widest ranges of color forms. There are probably more named clones of L. purpurata than any other Laelia or Cattleya species. This says a lot when you realize that named clones of Cattleya mossiae and Cattleya trianaei number in the hundreds. Laelia purpurata has large flowers, 6 to 8 inches (15–20 cm) across, and there are usually four or five flowers on a spike. The lavender color in the lip can be a brilliant royal purple often mixed with tones of red. This color can even appear in the sepals and petals to produce a flame-colored flower in flammea types. Many lovely semialba forms exist that often have striking dark purple lips and present a gorgeous contrast in color. Semialba forms also include flowers with pink to reddish lips, and lips that are dark slate-blue. Although there are a number of pale lavender albescens forms, there are also a few true albas that are quite beautiful.

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