Cattleya lawrenceana
 

Strange lip in this species, very unique in this trait, as far as Cattleyas are concerned!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/...c99b0227_t.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/...1ac33c56_t.jpg

It's gorgeous Mauro.

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but what is different about the lip?

The lip shape like a saxophone allied to a very small column in relation to the lip size, Rosie! The particular lip shape is more visible in a side view.
I don't have now a better photo to show, but the following one serves for you to take a look:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/...86f94d0e_t.jpg

The flower at left shows the characteristic form of the lip... right at the top the tube extends just a bit, then makes a curve down, and then, down there, the central lobe opens like a saxophone... the column is short and reaches only the point where the lip curves down. This lip format is not common to other Cattleya species...:):)

WOW! Thats Gorgeous!!!!! And i see the Difference you speak of in the second post! that is very different!!!!!! but Perfectly Beautiful!!!!!!

Ooooh yeah, I can see that now. Really cool! I can see what you mean calling it a saxophone shape.

Beautiful specimen! :love:
The scent is amazing as well with C. lawrenceana. My recall is it fills the greenhouse!

Beautiful, Thank you for the info Mauro, I too (like Rosie) wondered about it!
Your answer is complete & very well described! Thank you again.

Really nice flowers, Mauro, but I like the plant habit also. The growths appear to be closely spaced on the rhizome, which is a good habit in my opinion (compared to say, C. walkeriana, which is a species I'm quite fond of, but one that has the annoying habit of rambling all over the place). Conrats on the blooms. They're quite pretty.

Steve

Thank you all for the nice comments!:)

I believe the light is an important factor to help with that upright, compact growing, Steve. Of course the plant is naturally compact, but I noticed that a good amount of light, the same amount I give to walkerianas, which are light lovers, produce the pattern you see in the first photo!:):)

Fantastic color, and I love the 'saxy' lip.

Kim