Laelia

Laelia, abbreviated L in horticultural trade, is a small genus of eleven species from the orchid family (Orchidaceae). This is one of the most important and popular orchid genera, because of the beautiful flowers, their genetic properties and because they are fairly easy in culture. It is probably named after Laelia, one of the Vestal Virgins. Another possibility is the name borne by female members of the Roman patrician family of Laelius.

They are found in the subtropical or temperate climate of Central America, but mostly in Mexico. Laelia speciosa is a high-elevation plant, preferring sunny, dry and cool conditions. The others grow in the rainforest with a warm, humid summer and a dry cool winter. The species L. albida, L. anceps and L. autumnalis prefer higher and cooler altitudes.

Most are epiphytes, but a few are lithophytes, such as Laelia anceps. They are closely related to Cattleya with only the number of pollinia differing. Stems are usually short, however the stem of Laelia anceps can be more than 1 m long. The ovate pseudobulbs are clearly separate. These are about 6 - 30 cm long. One or two waxy, leathery leaves develop from each pseudobulb. This leaf can be up to 20 cm long. The inflorescence is a raceme, which can be 30 cm long, with up to eight flowers, growing from the top of the pseudobulb. These flowers can be pink to purple, with a beautifully colored purple lip becoming white close to the column . They bloom in spring or autumn. Albino varieties are rare and therefore prized. Due to high demand for such a rare mutations, many horticultural labs use modern tissue culture or mericloning techniques to increase their availability.

Members of this genus tend to be fairly easy in culture, and some plants are surprisingly drought-tolerant. Culture is highly dependent upon the natural habitat of the species in question, although many do well as mounted (plaqued) specimens so that the roots receive plenty of air circulation and a sharp wet-and-dry cycle.

Many species from South America, which used to belong to Laelia, are now classified under Sophronitis (van den Berg and Chase Lindleyana 15 (2), page 115, June 2000). The taxonomic status of some of these species is somewhat in doubt as they were moved there on the basis of molecular phylogeny. It seems likely that some growers and taxonomists will reject these changes, and continue to accept these "Sophronitis" species as laelias.

Laelia species readily form hybrids within the genus, and with other genera, including Cattleya (x Laeliocattleya, more than 2,000 greges), Brassavola, Rhyncholaelia, and Sophronitis. The majority of orchid hybrids belong to this category, i.e. x Sophrolaeliocattleya, x Brassolaeliocattleya and a number of other variations.

Species

Laelia albida Bateman ex Lindl.
Amalia albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Heynh.
Cattleya albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Beer
Bletia albida (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia candida Lodd. ex W.Baxter
Laelia discolor A.Rich. & Galeotti
Laelia anceps Lindl.
Amalias anceps (Lindl.) Hoffmanns.
Amalia anceps (Lindl.) Heynh.
Bletia anceps (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Cattleya anceps (Lindl.) Beer,
Laelia anceps subsp. anceps
Bletia anceps var. barkeriana (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia barkeriana Knowles & Westc.
Laelia anceps f. chilapensis Soto Arenas
Laelia anceps subsp. dawsonii (J.Anderson) Rolfe
Laelia anceps var. dawsonii J.Anderson
Laelia dawsonii (J.Anderson) Crawshay
Laelia anceps var. schroederiana Rchb.f.
Laelia anceps var. sanderiana Rchb.f.
Laelia anceps var. hallydayana O'Brien
Laelia hallidayana (O'Brien) Crawshay
Laelia sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Crawshay
Laelia schroederae Crawshay
Laelia aurea A.Navarro
Amalia autumnalis (Lex.) Heynh.
Laelia autumnalis (Lex.) Lindl.
Bletia autumnalis Lex.
Cattleya autumnalis (Lex.) Beer
Laelia autumnalis var. atrorubens Bachb.f.
Laelia autumnalis var. venusta
Laelia autumnalis var. xanthotrophis Rchb.f.
Laelia autumnalis var. alba B.S.Williams
Laelia venusta Rolfe
Laelia autumnalis f. atrorubens (Backh.f.) Halb.
Laelia autumnalis f. xanthotrophis (Rchb.f.) Halb. & Soto Arenas
Laelia crawshayana Rchb.f.,
Laelia crawshayana var. leucoptera Rchb.f.
Laelia leucoptera (Rchb.f.) Rolfe
Laelia bancalarii R.González & Hágsater
Laelia eyermaniana Rchb.f.
Laelia furfuracea Lindl.
Amalia furfuracea (Lindl.) Heynh.
Cattleya furfuracea (Lindl.) Beer.
Bletia furfuracea (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia gloriosa (Rchb.f.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia gloriosa Rchb.f.
Bletia gloriosa (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f
Epidendrum fimbriatum Vell.
Schomburgkia crispa Lindl.
Cattleya crispa (Lindl.) Beer
Bletia crispina (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Bletia wallisii Rchb.f.
Schomburgkia fimbriata Hoehne
Schomburgkia crispa var. alba L.C.Menezes
Laelia gouldiana Rchb.f.
Laelia heidii (Carnevali) Van den Berg & M.W.Chase
Schomburgkia heidii Carnevali
Laelia lueddemanii (Prill.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia lueddemanii Prill.
Schomburgkia lueddemanii var. costaricana (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
Laelia lundii (synonym of the accepted name Sophronitis lundii (Rchb.f. & Warm.) Van den Berg & M.W.Chase, 2000 )
Laelia lyonsii (Lindl.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia lyonsii Lindl.
Bletia lyonsii (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Schomburgkia carinata Griseb.
Schomburgkia lyonsii var. immaculata H.G.Jones.
Laelia marginata (Lindl.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia marginata Lindl.
Cattleya marginata (Lindl.) Beer.
Bletia marginata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia moyobambae (Schltr.) C.Schweinf.
Schomburgkia moyobambae' Schltr
Laelia purpurata
Laelia rosea (Linden ex Lindl.) C.Schweinf.
Schomburgkia rosea Linden ex Lindl.
Bletia rosea (Linden ex Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia rubescens Lindl.
Amalia rubescens (Lindl.) Heynh.
Cattleya rubescens (Lindl.) Beer
Bletia rubescens (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Laelia acuminata Lindl.
Laelia peduncularis Lindl.
Amalia acuminata (Lindl.) Heynh.
Amalia peduncularis (Lindl.) Heynh.
Laelia pubescens Lem.
Cattleya acuminata (Lindl.) Beer
Cattleya peduncularis (Lindl.) Beer
Laelia violacea Rchb.f.
Bletia acuminata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Bletia peduncularis (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Bletia violacea (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
Laelia inconspicua H.G.Jones
Laelia rubescens f. peduncularis (Lindl.) Halb.
Laelia speciosa (Kunth) Schltr.
Bletia speciosa Kunth
Bletia grandiflora Lex.
Laelia grandiflora (Lex.) Lindl.
Cattleya grahamii Lindl.
Laelia majalis Lindl.
Amalia grandiflora (Lex.) Heynh.
Amalia majalis (Lindl.) Heynh.
Cattleya majalis (Lindl.) Beer
Laelia splendida (Schltr.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia splendida Schltr.
Laelia superbiens Lindl.
Amalia superbiens (Lindl.) Heynh.
Cattleya superbiens (Lindl.) Beer
Bletia superbiens (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Schomburgkia superbiens (Lindl.) Rolfe
Laelia undulata (Lindl.) L.O.Williams
Schomburgkia undulata Lindl.
Bletia undulata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.
Schomburgkia violacea Paxton
Cattleya undulata Beer
Laelia weberbaueriana (Kraenzl.) C.Schweinf.
Schomburgkia weberbaueriana Kraenzl.

Synonymy

The genus Amalia Rchb. is generally included here.

Translation

The word "Laelia" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Slovak.

Translation(s) in other languages: German: Laelia (Orchideen), Lithuanian: Laišva, Russian: Лелия, Swedish: Laeliasläktet.