Laelia purpurata Lindley 1852-3 subgen Crispae sec Crispae Pfitzer Photo courtesy of Dale Borders.
Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding
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Common Name Purple-stained Laelia
Flower Size 6 to 8" [15 to 20 cm]
A medium sized, cool to hot growing plant from Brazil where it is found as an epiphyte, with a single leaf, high in the canopy of wooded hillsides, with cllavate pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, oblong-ligulate, leathery,erect, rounded at the apex leaf that blooms in the late spring through fall on a stout, 12 to 15" [30 to 37.5 cm] long, raceme subtended by a large sheath with 3 to 7 long-lasting, showy, fragrant, color variable flowers with an anise scent and needs a dry winter rest and moderate year round light.
Synonyms Amalia purpurea Heynh. 1846; Bletia casperiana Rchb. f. 1862; Bletia purpurata Rchb.f 1861; Cattleya brysiana Lemaire 1852; Cattleya casperiana Rchb.f ; Cattleya purpurata Beer 1854; Hadrolaelia purpurata ( Lindl. & Paxton ) Chiron & V.P.Castro 2002; Laelia casperiana Rchb.f 1859; Laelia russelliana B.S.Williams 1885; Laelia wyattiana Rchb.f 1883; Sophronitis purpurata (Lindl. & Paxton) C. Berg & M.W. Chase 2000
Laelia purpurata var alba "Joao Dias" 1852-3
Laelia purpurata var carnea Lindley 1852-3
Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Wilma Braga.
Laelia purpurata var coerula Lindley 1852-3 
This is a light pink variety
Laelia purpurata var roxo-violeta Lindley 1852-3 Laelia purpurata var rubra Lindley 1852-3 Laelia purpurata var striata Lindley 1852-3
Laelia purpurata var vagnota Lindley 1852-3
Laelia purpurata var werkhauseri Lindley 1852-3
