Cattleya silvana Pabst

[Rosim_in_BR]

Guido Pabst described Cattleya silvana in 1976 as a meritorious species. A controversy has aroused because some people said that in the same area Lc. x albanensis, a natural hybrid between Laelia grandis and Cattleya warneri also occurs and it would be possible that C. silvana of Pabst be the natural hybrid, they say. Due to the initial controversy, Dr. Carl Withner placed it in his doubtful species in his first book on Cattleyas, but later, in 2002 if I am not mistaken, he finally recognized it as a meritorious, full species. Besides this, Kew continues to quote Cattleya silvana Pabst as a synonymous for Lc. x albanensis. Go figure.

Here are the flowers:
Cattleya silvana Pabst on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And here's one in close up:
Cattleya silvana Pabst on Flickr - Photo Sharing!