''Cattleya'' () is a genus of orchids from Costa Rica south to Argentina. The genus is abbreviated C in trade journals.

Description

Epiphyte, Epiphytic or terrestrial orchids with cylindrical rhizome from which the fleshy noodle-like roots grow. Pseudobulbs can be conical, spindle-shaped or cylindrical; with upright growth; one or two leaves growing from the top of them. The leaves can be oblong, lanceolate or elliptical, somewhat fleshy, with smooth margin. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme with few or several flowers. Flowers have sepals and petals free from each other; the Labellum (botany), lip or labellum (lowermost petal), usually has a different coloration and shape from the rest of the flower and covers in part the Column (botany), flower column forming a tube. There are four polliniums (bag-like organs that contain pollen). The fruit is a capsule with many small seeds.Schweinfurth, C., "Orchidaceae, Orchids of Peru", ''Fieldiana, Botany'' 30(3): 535

Taxonomy

The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after horticulturalist William Cattley. Cattley obtained a specimen of then unnamed ''Cattleya labiata'' from William Swainson who had discovered the new plant in Pernambuco, Brazil, in 1817. The plant successfully bloomed under the care of Cattley and it became the type specimen from which Lindley described ''C. labiata''. Currently accepted species and subgeneric division within genus Cattleya are:

Subgenus Cattleya

Section Cattleya

Section Crispae

= Series Cattleyodes

= Series Hadrolaelia

= Series Microlaelia

= Series Parviflorae

= Series Sophronitis

Section Lawrenceanae

Subgenus Cattleyella

Subgenus Intermediae

Subgenus Maximae

Natural hybrids

Currently accepted natural hybrids are: *''Cattleya × adrienne (= Cattleya pumila × Cattleya jongheana)'' (Brazil) *''Cattleya × albanensis'' *''Cattleya × amanda'' *''Cattleya × binotii'' (= ) (Brazil) *''Cattleya × brasiliensis'' (= ''C. bicolor'' × ''C. harrisoniana'') (Brazil) *''Cattleya × braunae'' *''Cattleya × britoi'' (''= C. crispata'' x ''C. mirandae'') (Brazil - Minas Gerais) *''Cattleya × brymeriana'' (= ''C. violacea'' × ''C. wallisii'') (N. Brazil). *''Cattleya × calimaniana'' (Brazil) *''Cattleya × calimaniorum'' (NE Brazil) *''Cattleya × carassana'' (Brazil) *''Cattleya × cattleyioides'' (Brazil) *''Cattleya × cipoensis'' (Brazil) *''Cattleya × colnagiana'' (Brazil). *''Cattleya × cristinae'' (Brazil). *''Cattleya × cypheri'' *''Cattleya × dasilvae'' *''Cattleya × dayana'' (= ''C. forbesii'' × ''C. guttata'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × deckeri'' *''Cattleya × delicata'' *''Cattleya × diamantinensis (= C. pfisteri × C. sincorana)'' (Brazil). *''Cattleya × dolosa'' (= ''C. loddigesii'' × ''C. walkeriana'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × dukeana'' (= ''C. bicolor'' × ''C. guttata'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × duveenii'' (= ''C. guttata'' × ''C. harrisoniana'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × elegans'' *''Cattleya × ericoi'' *''Cattleya × feldmanniana'' *''Cattleya × fidelensis'' (Brazil - Rio de Janeiro). *''Cattleya × frankeana'' *''Cattleya × gaezeriana'' *''Cattleya × gerhard-santosii'' *''Cattleya × gottoana'' *''Cattleya × gransabanensis'' (= ''C. jenmanii'' × ''C. lawrenceana'') (Venezuela). *''Cattleya × gravesiana'' (= ''C. lueddemanniana'' × ''C. mossiae'') (Venezuela). *''Cattleya × hardyana'' (= ''C. dowiana var.aurea'' × ''C. warscewiczii'') (Colombia). *''Cattleya × heitoriana'' *''Cattleya × hummeliana'' *''Cattleya × hybrida'' (= ''C. guttata'' × ''C. loddigesii'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × imperator'' (= ''C. granulata'' × ''C. labiata'') (NE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × intricata'' (= ''C. intermedia'' × ''C. leopoldii'') (S. Brazil). *''Cattleya × irrorata'' *''Cattleya × isaacii'' *''Cattleya × isabella'' (= ''C. forbesii'' × ''C. intermedia'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × itabapoanaensis'' *''Cattleya × jetibaensis'' *''Cattleya × joaquiniana'' (= ''C. bicolor'' × ''C. walkeriana'') (Brazil) . *''Cattleya × kautskyi'' (= ''C. harrisoniana'' × ''C. warneri'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × kerchoveana'' *''Cattleya × labendziana'' *''Cattleya × lambari'' *''Cattleya × lilacina'' *''Cattleya × lucieniana'' (= ''C. forbesii'' × ''C. granulosa'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × macguiganii'' *''Cattleya × measuresii'' (= ''C. aclandiae'' × ''C. walkeriana'') (E. Brazil). *''Cattleya × mesquitae'' (= ''C. nobilior'' × ''C. walkeriana'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × mingaensis'' *''Cattleya × mixta'' (= ''C. guttata'' × ''C. schofieldiana'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × moduloi'' (''C. schofieldiana'' × ''C. warneri'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × mucugensis'' *''Cattleya × neocalimaniana'' *''Cattleya × neocalimaniorum'' *''Cattleya × neoreginae'' *''Cattleya × nesyana'' *''Cattleya × occhioniana'' *''Cattleya × odiloniana'' *''Cattleya × patrocinii'' (= ''C. guttata'' × ''C. warneriana'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × picturata'' (= ''C. guttata'' × ''C. intermedia'') (SE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × pittiana'' *''Cattleya × porphyritis'' *''Cattleya × porphyrophlebia'' *''Cattleya × raganii'' *''Cattleya × resplendens'' (= ''C. granulosa'' × ''C. schilleriana'') (NE. Brazil) *''Cattleya × rigbyana'' *''Cattleya × ruschii'' *''Cattleya × sancheziana'' *''Cattleya × schroederiana'' *''Cattleya × schunkiana'' *''Cattleya × schunkii'' *''Cattleya × scita'' (= ''C. intermedia'' × ''C. tigrina'') (S. Brazil). *''Cattleya × sgarbii'' *''Cattleya × sororia'' *''Cattleya × tenuata'' (= ''C. elongata'' × ''C. tenuis'') (Brazil) . *''Cattleya × varelae'' *''Cattleya × venosa'' (= ''C. forbesii'' × ''C. harrisoniana'') (Brazil). *''Cattleya × verelii'' *''Cattleya × victoria-regina'' ( ''C. guttata'' × ''C. labiata'') (NE. Brazil). *''Cattleya × victoriacarolinae'' *''Cattleya × wetmorei'' *''Cattleya × whitei'' *''Cattleya × wilsoniana'' (= ''C. bicolor'' × ''C. intermedia''). (Brazil). *''Cattleya × wyattiana'' (= ''C. crispa'' × ''C. lobata''). (Brazil). *''Cattleya × zaslawskii'' (= ''C. harpophylla'' × ''C. praestans''). (Brazil). *''Cattleya × zayrae'' (= ''C. amethystoglossa'' × ''C. elongata''). (Bahia, Brazil)

Nothogenera

Hybrids of ''Cattleya'' and other genera are placed in the following nothogenera: * × Brassocattleya, × ''Brassocattleya'' = ''Brassavola'' × ''Cattleya'' * × Brassolaeliocattleya, × ''Brassolaeliocattleya'' = ''Brassavola'' × ''Cattleya'' × ''Laelia'' * × Cattleytonia, × ''Cattleytonia'' = ''Cattleya'' × ''Broughtonia (plant), Broughtonia'' * × Laeliocattleya, × ''Laeliocattleya'' = ''Cattleya'' × ''Laelia'' * × Rhyncholaeliocattleya, × ''Rhyncholaeliocattleya'' = ''Rhyncholaelia'' × ''Cattleya''

Cultivation

* ''Light'' :Cattleyas need light, but not direct sunlight; in case of intense sunlight, shade must be provided. * ''Temperature'' :Day temperatures must be between 25-30 °C (77-86 °F) and night temperatures not lower than 10-12 °C (50-53.6 °F). * ''Humidity'' :Must be between 40-70% with good ventilation; however plants must not be exposed to air currents. * ''Watering'' :Water only if substrate is dry. It can be done once a week, but it all depends on the environmental conditions and the season. * ''Fertilizing'' :Cattleyas can survive without fertilizing. However, it is advisable to use nitrogen-based fertilizers without urea; fertilizers must be applied during the growth season. To avoid salt accumulation in the substrate, water thoroughly between fertilizer applications.

References

External links

* * * (enter "''Cattleya''" in search box).
More info About Orchids
Orchids of Costa Rica
Breeding Cattleya
Breeding in Cattleyas

* [http://www.floridanaturepictures.com/orchids/orchid.html Orchid Picture Gallery]
American Orchid Society - Orchid Web

Cattleya Orchid Forum

van den Berg, C. and M.W. Chase. 2000. Nomenclatural notes on Laeliinae - I. Lindleyana 15(2): 115-119

Photos of Thailand native cattleya orchids
Orchidroots.org
Cattleya Species {{Authority control Cattleya, Laeliinae genera