Cattleya lobata - Lobed Cattleya

Lobed Cattleya is a medium to large sized, rock-dwelling orchid with conical to spindle-shaped pseudobulbs carrying a single, lanceshaped, leathery leaf. The plant blooms in the spring on a 40 cm long, racemose, 2 to 5 flowered inflorescence arising through a compressed basal spathe carrying flowers with a pleasing smell. Flowers are about 10-12 cm across. Sepals are about 5-7 cm. long by 2 cm. wide, of a violet-rose color. Petals have the same color as sepals and measure about 3-5 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. Lip has short side lobes and an elongated waxy-edge apical portion that is a velvety, dark pansy-violet with still darker veins. The throat is lemon-yellow. The tip of the white column, which is 2-5 cm long is tinted with violet rose; the anther is almost black. Lobed Cattleya is native to Brazil, cultivated in NE India.