Orchidaceae

Cattleya

Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Valid

Morphological Description

Diagnosis: Distinguished by pseudobulbs on a stout rhizome each bearing a single, very leathery leaf. The inflorescences arise from a sheath and bear very showy, resupinate, fragrant flowers with tubular lips having showy flared limbs. This is the classic “orchid” in the public mind.

1 Sepals and petals yellow, less than 5 cm long. ......................................C. luteola
1’ Sepals and petals white, more than 10 cm long. ......................................... C. rex

Vegetative Morphology

Habit: Epiphytes or lithophytes. Rhizome prostrate, stout, woody. Pseudobulbs usually elongate, cylindric to club-shaped.

Leaves: Leaves 1--4, terminal on the pseudobulb, subopposite when not solitary, generally oblong-elliptic, coriaceous, often rigid.

Reproductive Morphology

Inflorescence: Inflorescences terminal racemes, +/- subtended by a conduplicate sheath.

Flowers: Flowers usually large and showy, membranous, commonly fragrant, the sepals and petals free, spreading, the petals often wider than the sepals. Lip unlobed to strongly three-lobed, usually tubular at the base, sessile, free, without callus but sometimes with longtudinal keels. Column stout, fleshy, usually club-shaped, often strongly winged; pollinia four, with caudicles.