ID for this Cattleya

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

I got this plant from a nursery in Bombay about 1 1/2 years back. The name tag was missing and I would need someones help in identifying this hybrid. It threw up 11 buds from two sheaths. The flowers are pleasantly scented. Would appreciate your inputs.

[Royal]

Looks like a hybrid with bowringiana or skinnerii in the background. Tough to pin down a hybrid since they may differ slightly.

[smweaver]

How big is the plant? It might be either C. Porcia or C. Portia (both are C. bowringiana hybrids). It doesn't look like a full-blooded C. bowringiana--and since you indicated that the blooms smell pleasant that's also an indicator that it's not bowringiana (my bowringiana's blooms, although vibrantly colored and beautiful, are rather stinky).

Steve

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

Thanks Steve. It is a full grown plant with about eight to ten pseudo bulbs. Two of them yielded sheaths. In one it produced five flowers and six in the other. The flowers have a very delicate sweet smell - cant tell may be jasmine or rose flavoured.
Do you have pictures of the C Portia ?

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

Steve I think I have been able to identify it. Your guess was correct - it is a Cattleya Portia. This conclusion is based on two earlier messages on this forum of 26-3-2008 and 13-4-2009 from our member Frdemetr from San Paulo. He has attached pictures which are similar to mine.
Suresh

[smweaver]

Glad you were able to identify your plant, Suresh. Hopefully you have the space for it because C. Portia grows to become a BIG plant as it gets older.

Steve

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

Steve when you say big - how big does it get?
Suresh

[smweaver]

Two to three feet (61 to 91 cm) on a well-grown plant. Leafspan per bulb is also substantial, with the average about 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm). They make fantastic specimen plants when they reach adulthood (although they'll bloom at a much smaller size).

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

Originally Posted by smweaver

Two to three feet (61 to 91 cm) on a well-grown plant. Leafspan per bulb is also substantial, with the average about 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm). They make fantastic specimen plants when they reach adulthood (although they'll bloom at a much smaller size).

Thanks Steve

[smweaver]

You're welcome, Suresh. And good luck with your plant!