Laelia anceps

So for a long time, the Brazilian laelias, which includes the purpurata, were kept in the genus Laelia.

Then DNA work in the 2000s, taxonomists concluded that these Brazilian species are really closer genetically to a Cattleya than to the Mexican laelias, such as the Laelia anceps.

So they were moved to the Cattleya family.

So today, anytime you see Laelia purpurata, it's technically and properly Cattleya purpurata.

It's not droopy at all.

It's a happy, upright flower.

[gentle music] And the other magical part about Cattleya purpurata is very similar to my obsession with Laelia anceps in that it's famous for the number of distinctive color forms that it has.

The plant growers call them and collect them by variety, and I personally had quite a few really great ones that were in bloom this year, and I'll, I'll talk a little bit about them.