|
| All images and information included
in this site copyright © Francisco Miranda unless otherwise mentioned. No reproduction in whole or part without
written permission. |
|
Cattleya leopoldii
Cattleya leopoldii is a closely related species to C.
guttata. Both are coastal species,
but their ranges do not mix. Cattleya
leopoldii is a more southern species,
being found on the coastal plains from São Paulo to Rio Grande do Sul States. The plants are usually found
on beach sand dunes (where the plants are usually attached to shrubs) or on coastal swamp trees. Plants of Cattleya leopoldii are usually not as robust as the ones of C. guttata,
and accordingly produce a smaller quantity of flowers on the inflorescences (maximum of about 20 per spike, as
in C. guttata the number can be of more than 40). As said, the two species
are very similar, and besides the differences above, there are others. To start, flowering season in very distinct
being November-January for Cattleya
leopoldii whereas C. guttata flowers 2-3 months later. There are differences also (and most importantly) on the flowers,
as Cattleya leopoldii have them usually much darker (and always reddish-brown
to dark maroon with dark markings in very dark red-chocolate color), larger and better-shaped. However, the lip
difference between the two species is the surest way to separate them: in Cattleya leopoldii,
the lip front lobe is wide and usually spreading, quite different from the ones of C. guttata,
narrow and short. Cattleya leopoldii produces beautiful hybrids, and perhaps the best known is
also the one that occurs in nature. This one is Laeliaocattleya
elegans, with Laelia purpurata, also knows in the past as Laelia
elegans.This is a very widespread,
variable and beautiful natural hybrid, something very easy to predict considering how abundant and variable Laelia purpurata is.
 |
| |
Distribution Map for Cattleya leopoldii.
The species has a wide distribution area on the southern coastline. The species is (or used to be) found on large
numbers throughout the range. There are presumed coastal populations on the State of Bahia, from which the southernmost
tip can be seen on the map just above Espírito Santo, but the correct identification of these plants is
pending and thus they are not mapped.
|
| |
 1 |
On 1, we see a
very typical example of Cattleya leopoldii. Color and shape is regular and what is expected for the
species. This picture was taken in a swamp at the northern part of Rio Grande do Sul State. The plant is a seedling
flowering for the first time.
On 2, we see a much higher quality representative of the species. Besides having an inflorescence
with more than a dozen flowers, the quality of the flowers itself is much higher. Starting with a more intense
and uniform base color and spotting, the shape of the flowers and width of the segments is much better. Finally,
the lips have a very intense and uniform magenta color, and the front lobes are also much wider and flatter. |
2 |
|
