Cattleya maxima | |
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Scientific 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
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Binomial name | |
Cattleya maxima | |
Synonyms | |
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Cattleya maxima is a species of orchid in subfamily Epidendroideae found from Ecuador to Peru.
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]
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]