Cattleya

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Cattleya (lat. Cattleya) - a fairly numerous genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the Orchid family (Latin Orchidaceae). Born in Central and South America, members of the genus live in a wide variety of environmental conditions. A number of species are accustomed to warm and humid rainforest climates with high rainfall. Some have to endure direct sunlight and the proximity of ruffy cacti. And those who were destined to grow up in the mountains are relatively cold-resistant and can withstand a drop in air temperature to minus two degrees Celsius. But, of course, long-term low negative temperatures are not up to even the mountain orchids of the Cattleya genus, and therefore in Russia they grow in greenhouses and human dwellings, delighting with their bright large flowers in the autumn-winter period.

What's in your name

The name of the genus "Cattleya" honors the memory not of botany, as is often the case with the names of plants, but the memory of a man who was engaged in international trade, in particular, importing grain from Russia to England, and was also fond of collecting exotic plants, which was fashionable in early 19th century in Europe. But it was thanks to the experimental nature of William Cattley (1788 - 1835), who was especially fond of orchids, that they gained immense popularity among Europeans.

Cattley entrusted the description of orchids to the professional botanist John Lindley (1799 - 1865), a great connoisseur of plants of the Orchid family, who for a certain fee compiled the Catalog of the Cattleya plant collection. At the suggestion of John Lindy, the genus was given a collector's name.

Interestingly, the plaque at the house of William Cattley in Barnet reads: "William Cattley, Botanist, …".

The typical plant species of the genus is "Cattleya labiata" (Cattleya labiata), with flowers having tubular lush petals, one of which is much larger than the others and more brightly colored. In addition, the shape of this petal resembles a lip.

Since orchids of this genus have been studied and described by different botanists at different times, the official Latin name "Cattleya" has many synonyms that make it difficult for botanists and fans of the bright flowering plant kingdom.

Description

Plants of the Cattleya genus can be epiphytes that live on tropical trees, or lithophytes that spread their strong, rope-like roots on rocky mountain slopes.

Among the species of the genus there are plants with large and bright flowers, as a rule, exuding a pleasant aroma, with a pronounced shape characteristic of all Orchids, and there are representatives with small flowers that grow in the harsh conditions of mountainous areas. The flowers are very picturesque and unique, with a wide variety of colors.

Nutrient pantries of Cattleya orchids, pseudobulbs and bulbs can be of different shapes:

* fusiform fleshy elongated pseudobulbs, sometimes flattened, showing one apical leaf to the world;

* cylindrical long bulbs, showing the world, as a rule, two apical leaves, less often more than two.

Plant leaves can be fleshy and succulent, or tough and leathery.

Varieties

Determining the exact number of species in a genus is useless. Various sources name numbers from 65 to 187 species. Let's note a few of them:

* "Cattleya labiata" is a type species of the genus.

* "Cattleya maxima" (Cattleya largest) - with large beautiful flowers.

* "Cattleya luteola" (Cattleya luteola, or yellow) - with flowers from lemon to yellow-greenish color.

* "Cattleya violacea" (Cattleya violet) - with noble purple petals.

* "Cattleya lawrenceana" (Cattleya Lawrence) - with one apical leaf. Difficult to grow in culture.

* "Cattleya trianae" (Cattleya Triana) - has a fusiform single-leaved pseudobulb and very beautiful multicolored petals with a wavy-toothed edge.

* "Cattleya warneri" (Cattleya Warner) - flowers are a bit similar to the flowers of the previous species.