Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata 'Schusteriana' HCC/AOS

[Jmoney]

Love this color form. I believe 'Schusteriana' was the first of this form to be named, and dates back to the late 1800s. Over the years many cultivars have been shown (and awarded) as "variety" or 'forma' schusteriana although roxo-violeta is the correct term. I got this as a division of the original cultivar, which is amazingly pretty widely-distributed. Along the way it picked up an HCC in 1989. I find the history of this particular plant to be fascinating, as it traces most recently to a few well-known private collectors in CA, then back to Stewarts, and back further to Lager & Hurrell, who got their plant supposedly from England. Of course the provenance is only as good as your source but I believe this to be accurate...