Cattleya maxima

Cattleya maxima is a species of orchid in subfamily Epidendroideae found from Ecuador to Peru.

Habit.

Cattleya maxima
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Cattleya
Subgenus: Cattleya subg. Maximae
(Withner) Van den Berg
Species:
C. maxima
Binomial name
Cattleya maxima
Synonyms
  • Cattleya malouana Linden
  • Cattleya malouana L. Linden & Rodigas
  • Cattleya maxima var. aphlebia Rchb.f.
  • Cattleya maxima f. aphlebia (Rchb.f.) Roeth
  • Cattleya maxima var. backhousii Rchb.f.
  • Cattleya maxima var. hrubyana L.Linden & Rodigas
  • Cattleya maxima var. marchettiana B.S.Williams
  • Epidendrum maximum (Lindl.) Rchb.f.

Description

Epiphytic herb with club-shaped pseudobulbs, up to 39 cm or taller with one leaf at the top (total height of pseudobulb and leaf about 61 cm).[1][2] Leaf oblong or broadly oblong, rounded at apex, light green, up to 35 cm long and up to 6 cm wide, thick and fleshy.[2] Inflorescence stem up to 30 cm long, with 3–6 (upland variety) or 12–15 (lowland variety) flowers.[1] Flowers 12–15 cm wide, with lilac or pale rose sepals and petals, except the lip or labellum, which has dark purple veins and a yellow area in the middle.[1][2][3] Dorsal sepal narrowly elliptic; lateral sepals elliptic lanceolate; petals elliptic with wavy margin; lip folded forming a tube, with the front margin curly and wavy.[2] Column slender and arched.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Cattleya maxima occurs as an epiphyte on trees in dry forests from 100 to 1800 m of elevation,[3] from Ecuador to Peru.[4] The upland variety can be found growing on rocky slopes.[1]

References
  1. Withner, C. (1988). The Cattleyas and Their Relatives. Vol. 1: The Cattleyas. Timber Press. pp. 29–30. ISBN 9780881920994.
  2. Schweinfurth, C., "Orchidaceae, Orchids of Peru", Fieldiana, Botany 30(3): 535
  3. "Cattleya maxima". www.aos.org. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  4. "Cattleya maxima Lindl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
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