Laelia spectabilis (Paxton) Withner 1990 SUBGENUS Crispae SECTION Hadrolaelia Schlechter
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
TYPE Drawing by © Paxton
Common Name Spectacular or Distinguished Laelia
Flower Size 4.8" [12 cm]
Found in Minas Gerais state of Brazil on steep ridges of mountains on the southeastern face at elevations of 600 to 1000 meters with high humidity as a small sized, warm growing epiphyte with spindle-shaped pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, leathery leaf that blooms in the fall on new growths with a 3 to 4" [7.5 to 10 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence.
This species is often cited as a synonym of L pumila, I have left it separate at this time pending more information.
What distinguishes L spectabilis from L pumila is that L spectabilis has larger flowers with broader and longer trumpet-shape to the lip that has a cowhorn-like upward sweep apex. The central tuft of the disc in the throat of L pumila is missing in this species. The lateral lobes of the lip over the column if spread open is stiff and it will crack or split. The petals are broader obtuse instead of tapered and acute apically. The petals do not droop in this species as they do with L pumila
Synonyms Cattleya pumila var major Lemaire 1859; Cattleya pumila var. mirabilis [Morren] K A Roberts 2016; *Cattleya spectabilis Paxton 1850; Hadrolaelia spectabilis (Paxton) F.Barros & J.A.N.Bat. 2004; Hadrolaelia spectabilis f. alba F.Barros & J.A.N.Bat. 2004; Laelia pumila var mirabilis Morr. 1878;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Florist Gard. Misc. 3: 91 Paxton 1850 as Cattleya spectabilis;
Florist Gard. Misc. 3: 88-89 Paxton 1850 as Cattleya spectabilis drawing fide
Paxton's Flower Garden vol 1: 44 1850 as Cattleya spectabilis
Ill. Hort. 6: t. 193 Lem 1859 as Cattleya pumila var major;
Proc. Roy. Hort. Soc. London 1: 164 R Warner 1860 as L pumila var major;
Ann. Bot. Hort. 28: 279 Morren 1878 as L pumila var mirabilis;
*Cattleya and Their Relatives Vol 2 Withner 1990 photo fide;
Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 42 - 43 pg 2626 - 2762 Brieger 2001;
Orquidologia Sul-Amer.: 103 F.Barros & J.A.N.Bat. 2004 as Hadrolaelia spectabilis;
AOS Bulletin vol 85 Supplement K A Roberts 2016 as Cattleya pumila var mirabilis;
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