Laelia
Encyclopedia
Laelia, abbreviated L. in the horticultural trade, is a small genus of 25 species from the orchid family (Orchidaceae
). This is one of the most important and popular orchid genera, because of the beautiful flowers, their genetic properties and because they are fairly easy in culture. It is probably named after Laelia, one of the Vestal Virgin
s. Another possibility is the name borne by female members of the Roman patrician family of Laelius.
They are found in the subtropical or temperate climate of Central America
, but mostly in Mexico
. Laelia speciosa is a high-elevation plant, preferring sunny, dry and cool conditions. The others grow in the rainforest with a warm, humid summer and a dry cool winter. The species L. albida, L. anceps and L. autumnalis prefer higher and cooler altitudes.
Most are epiphyte
s, but a few are lithophyte
s, such as Laelia anceps. They are closely related to Cattleya, but have twice as many pollinia
. Stems
are usually short, however the stem of Laelia anceps can be more than 1 m long. The ovate pseudobulb
s are clearly separate. These are about 6 – 30 cm long. One or two waxy, leathery leaves
develop from each pseudobulb. This leaf can be up to 20 cm long. The inflorescence is a raceme, which can be 30 cm long, with up to eight flowers, growing from the top of the pseudobulb. These flower
s can be pink to purple, with a beautifully colored purple lip becoming white close to the column
. They bloom in spring or autumn. Albino varieties are rare and therefore prized. Due to high demand for such a rare mutations, many horticultural labs use modern tissue culture or mericloning techniques to increase their availability.
Members of this genus tend to be fairly easy in culture, and some plants are surprisingly drought-tolerant. Culture is highly dependent upon the natural habitat of the species in question, although many do well as mounted (plaqued) specimens so that the roots receive plenty of air circulation and a sharp wet-and-dry cycle.
The "Brazilian Laelias, after being classified for several years under Sophronitis
, have now been placed in the genus Cattleya
, to avoid confusion.
Several species of the now-defunct genus Schomburgkia
have been added to the genus Laelia
Laelia species readily form hybrids within the genus, and with other genera, including Cattleya
, Brassavola
, and Rhyncholaelia
.
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
). This is one of the most important and popular orchid genera, because of the beautiful flowers, their genetic properties and because they are fairly easy in culture. It is probably named after Laelia, one of the Vestal Virgin
Vestal Virgin
In ancient Roman religion, the Vestals or Vestal Virgins , were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. The College of the Vestals and its well-being was regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome, as embodied by their cultivation of the sacred fire that could not be...
s. Another possibility is the name borne by female members of the Roman patrician family of Laelius.
They are found in the subtropical or temperate climate of Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, but mostly in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Laelia speciosa is a high-elevation plant, preferring sunny, dry and cool conditions. The others grow in the rainforest with a warm, humid summer and a dry cool winter. The species L. albida, L. anceps and L. autumnalis prefer higher and cooler altitudes.
Most are epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
s, but a few are lithophyte
Lithophyte
Lithophytes are a type of plant that grows in or on rocks. Lithophytes feed off moss, nutrients in rain water, litter, and even their own dead tissue....
s, such as Laelia anceps. They are closely related to Cattleya, but have twice as many pollinia
Pollinium
Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant.They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds .Most orchids have waxy pollinia...
. Stems
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
are usually short, however the stem of Laelia anceps can be more than 1 m long. The ovate pseudobulb
Pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.It applies to the orchid family , specifically certain groups of epiphytic orchids, and may be single or composed of several internodes with evergreen or deciduous leaves along its length.In some species, it is...
s are clearly separate. These are about 6 – 30 cm long. One or two waxy, leathery leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
develop from each pseudobulb. This leaf can be up to 20 cm long. The inflorescence is a raceme, which can be 30 cm long, with up to eight flowers, growing from the top of the pseudobulb. These flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s can be pink to purple, with a beautifully colored purple lip becoming white close to the column
Column (botany)
The column, or technically the gynostemium, is a reproductive structure that can be found in several plant families: Aristolochiaceae, Orchidaceae, and Stylidiaceae....
. They bloom in spring or autumn. Albino varieties are rare and therefore prized. Due to high demand for such a rare mutations, many horticultural labs use modern tissue culture or mericloning techniques to increase their availability.
Members of this genus tend to be fairly easy in culture, and some plants are surprisingly drought-tolerant. Culture is highly dependent upon the natural habitat of the species in question, although many do well as mounted (plaqued) specimens so that the roots receive plenty of air circulation and a sharp wet-and-dry cycle.
The "Brazilian Laelias, after being classified for several years under Sophronitis
Sophronitis
Sophronitis, abbreviated Soph in horticultural trade, is a genus of small, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids, growing in the damp montane forest of eastern Brazil, Paraguay and NE Argentina. Currently, 65 species are recognized....
, have now been placed in the genus Cattleya
Cattleya
Cattleya is a genus of 113 species of orchids from Costa Rica to tropical South America. The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after Sir William Cattley who received and successfully cultivated specimens of Cattleya labiata that were used as packing material in a shipment of other orchids...
, to avoid confusion.
Several species of the now-defunct genus Schomburgkia
Schomburgkia
Schomburgkia is a genus of plants belonging to the family Orchidaceae. This genus is named for Richard Schomburgk, a German botanist who explored British Guiana during the 19th century. Species in this genus are either ephiphytic or lithophytic in their growth habit...
have been added to the genus Laelia
Laelia species readily form hybrids within the genus, and with other genera, including Cattleya
Cattleya
Cattleya is a genus of 113 species of orchids from Costa Rica to tropical South America. The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after Sir William Cattley who received and successfully cultivated specimens of Cattleya labiata that were used as packing material in a shipment of other orchids...
, Brassavola
Brassavola
Brassavola is a genus of 20 orchids . They were named in 1813 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown. The name comes from the Venetian nobleman and physician Antonio Musa Brassavola. This genus is abbreviated B. in trade journals....
, and Rhyncholaelia
Rhyncholaelia
Rhyncholaelia, abbreviated Rl. in the horticultural trade, is a genus of orchids , comprising 2 species. They are distributed in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. Both species were originally published in Brassavola by Lindley. In 1918, Schlechter erected the new genus Rhyncholaelia and...
.
Species
- Laelia albidaLaelia albidaLaelia albida is the most northerly-growing laelia in Mexico. This epiphytic orchid bears ten or more small pale pink flowers on a half-meter terminal inflorescence in late winter to early spring. It is cold-tolerant close to freezing in the winter and needs to be kept dry until new vegetative...
Bateman ex Lindl.- Amalia albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Heynh.
- Cattleya albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Beer
- Bletia albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia candida Lodd. ex W.Baxter
- Laelia discolor A.Rich. & Galeotti
- Laelia ancepsLaelia ancepsLaelia anceps is a species of orchid endemic to Mexico and Guatemala.-Subspecies:*Laelia anceps ssp. anceps . The diploid chromosome number of L. anceps ssp. anceps has been determined as 2n = 40...
Lindl.- Amalias anceps (Lindl.) Hoffmanns.
- Amalia anceps (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Bletia anceps (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Cattleya anceps (Lindl.) Beer,
- Laelia anceps subsp. anceps
- Bletia anceps var. barkeriana (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia barkeriana Knowles & Westc.
- Laelia anceps f. chilapensis Soto Arenas
- Laelia anceps subsp. dawsonii (J.Anderson) Rolfe
- Laelia anceps var. dawsonii J.Anderson
- Laelia dawsonii (J.Anderson) Crawshay
- Laelia anceps var. schroederiana Rchb.f.
- Laelia anceps var. sanderiana Rchb.f.
- Laelia anceps var. hallydayana O'Brien
- Laelia hallidayana (O'Brien) Crawshay
- Laelia sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Crawshay
- Laelia schroederae Crawshay
- Laelia aurea A.Navarro
- Laelia rubescens var. aurea (A.Navarro) M.Wolff & O.Gruss
- Laelia autumnalis (Lex.) Lindl.
- Amalia autumnalis (Lex.) Heynh.
- Bletia autumnalis Lex.
- Cattleya autumnalis (Lex.) Beer
- Laelia autumnalis var. atrorubens Bachb.f.
- Laelia autumnalis var. venusta
- Laelia autumnalis var. xanthotrophis Rchb.f.
- Laelia autumnalis var. alba B.S.Williams
- Laelia venusta Rolfe
- Laelia autumnalis f. atrorubens (Backh.f.) Halb.
- Laelia autumnalis f. xanthotrophis (Rchb.f.) Halb. & Soto Arenas
- Laelia crawshayana Rchb.f.,
- Laelia crawshayana var. leucoptera Rchb.f.
- Laelia leucoptera (Rchb.f.) Rolfe
- Laelia bancalarii R.González & Hágsater
- Laelia eyermaniana Rchb.f.
- Laelia furfuraceaLaelia furfuraceaLaelia furfuracea is a species of orchid endemic to Mexico ....
Lindl.- Amalia furfuracea (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Cattleya furfuracea (Lindl.) Beer.
- Bletia furfuracea (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia gloriosaLaelia gloriosaLaelia gloriosa is a species of orchid native to tropical South America....
(Rchb.f.) L.O.Williams- Schomburgkia gloriosa Rchb.f.
- Bletia gloriosa (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f
- Epidendrum fimbriatum Vell.
- Schomburgkia crispa Lindl.
- Bletia crispina (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Bletia wallisii Rchb.f.
- Schomburgkia fimbriata Hoehne
- Schomburgkia crispa var. alba L.C.Menezes
- Laelia gouldianaLaelia gouldianaLaelia gouldiana is a plant of the orchid genus Laelia and native to Mexico.Laelia gouldiana can grow 1 meter tall. It has pink flowers....
Rchb.f.
- Laelia heidii (Carnevali) Van den Berg & M.W.Chase
- Schomburgkia heidii Carnevali
- Laelia lueddemanii (Prill.) L.O.Williams
- Schomburgkia lueddemanii Prill.
- Schomburgkia lueddemanii var. costaricana (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia lyonsii (Lindl.) L.O.Williams
- Schomburgkia lyonsii Lindl.
- Bletia lyonsii (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Schomburgkia carinata Griseb.
- Schomburgkia lyonsii var. immaculata H.G.Jones.
- Laelia marginataLaelia marginataLaelia marginata is a species of orchid in genus Laelia. L. marginata is found in Suriname....
(Lindl.) L.O.Williams- Schomburgkia marginata Lindl.
- Cattleya marginata (Lindl.) Beer.
- Cattleya crispa (Lindl.) Beer (1854) nom. illeg.
- Bletia marginata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia moyobambae (Schltr.) C.Schweinf.
- Schomburgkia moyobambae Schltr
- Laelia rosea (Linden ex Lindl.) C.Schweinf.
- Schomburgkia rosea Linden ex Lindl.
- Bletia rosea (Linden ex Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia rubescensLaelia rubescensLaelia rubescens is a species of orchid native to Mexico and Central America.-Synonyms:*Amalia rubescens Heynh.*Cattleya rubescens Beer*Bletia rubescens Rchb.f.*Laelia acuminata Lindl....
Lindl.- Amalia rubescens (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Cattleya rubescens (Lindl.) Beer
- Bletia rubescens (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia acuminata Lindl.
- Laelia peduncularis Lindl.
- Amalia acuminata (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Amalia peduncularis (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Laelia pubescens Lem.
- Cattleya acuminata (Lindl.) Beer
- Cattleya peduncularis (Lindl.) Beer
- Laelia violacea Rchb.f.
- Bletia acuminata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Bletia peduncularis (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Bletia violacea (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
- Laelia inconspicua H.G.Jones
- Laelia rubescens f. peduncularis (Lindl.) Halb.
- Laelia speciosaLaelia speciosaLaelia speciosa, commonly known as the Mayflower orchid, is a species of orchid found in area of Mexico with high elevation of to . It is the type species of the genus Laelia. The plant is very drought resistant and can tolerate cool to warm conditions. It blooms from summer to fall, producing...
(Kunth) Schltr.- Bletia speciosa Kunth
- Bletia grandiflora Lex.
- Laelia grandiflora (Lex.) Lindl.
- Cattleya grahamii Lindl.
- Laelia majalis Lindl.
- Amalia grandiflora (Lex.) Heynh.
- Amalia majalis (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Cattleya majalis (Lindl.) Beer
- Laelia splendida (Schltr.) L.O.Williams
- Schomburgkia splendida Schltr.
- Laelia superbiensLaelia superbiensLaelia superbiens is a species of orchid native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras....
Lindl.- Amalia superbiens (Lindl.) Heynh.
- Cattleya superbiens (Lindl.) Beer
- Bletia superbiens (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Schomburgkia superbiens (Lindl.) Rolfe
- Laelia undulataLaelia undulataLaelia undulata is a species of orchid native to Colombia, Trinidad and Venezuela....
(Lindl.) L.O.Williams- Schomburgkia undulata Lindl.
- Bletia undulata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
- Schomburgkia violacea Paxton
- Cattleya undulata Beer
- Laelia weberbaueriana (Kraenzl.) C.Schweinf.
- Schomburgkia weberbaueriana Kraenzl.