How to differentiate cattleya lueddemaniana from cattleya labiata?

[orchidman77]

Originally Posted by Louis_W

What should thay look for under the column?

lueddemanniana is known to have a "horned" or "winged" column, two points on the sides, whereas other species usually have a rounder column.

A double sheath is a sheath inside of a sheath - like an extra fold. You can shine a light from the back of the sheath to see if it's just the one, or if there's a second.

[Louis_W]

Sheaths are like thin, small, modified leaves at the center of a cattleya leaf. The protect the buds as they start coming out. Some cattleyas do not have them, most have one and a few species have one inside the other.

On this photo the dry part that the flower stalk is comong out of ia the sheath ( this is a single sheath)