Cattleya maxima

Cattleya maxima
Cattleya maxima
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Laeliinae
Alliance: Cattleya
Genus: Cattleya
Species: C. maxima
Binomial name
Cattleya maxima
Lindl. (1833)
Synonyms
  • Epidendrum maximum (Lindl.) Rchb.f. (1861)

Cattleya maxima ("Largest Cattleya") is a species of orchid with a superficial resemblance to the labiate species of Cattleya, but with a closer genetic relationship to the Crispid Laelias (such as C. purpurata).Sometimes referred to as the "peekaboo orchid" or Christmas flower. It first discovered in the year 1777, by Spanish botanists José Antonio Pavón Jiménez and Hipólito Ruiz López during an exploration of Spain's South American colonies.In 1831, John Lindley proclaimed Ruiz and Pavón's orchid as a new species,Cattleya maxima.Prior to 2000, C. maxima was separated from the Brazilian Laelias because it had only four pollinia in its pollinarium, as opposed to eight in Laelia sensu MCMXCIX.

Characteristics

C. maxima flowers bloom from mid-November to early December with a purplish-lavander color. C. maxima usually grow to 2 ft. high. C. maxima have 3 sepals and a unique yellow stripe on its flower lip. C. maxima have pseudobulbs which denotes its 2 varieties, one with larger pseudobulbs and one with smaller pseudobulbs.

references

[1]

External identifiers for Cattleya maxima
NCBI 140408
Also found in: Wikispecies

Media related to Cattleya maxima at Wikimedia Commons


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