RESIANA.]

CATTLEYA LABIATA HOUSE

This is the oldest of Cattleyas, for the plant now recognised as Catt.
Loddigesii, which was introduced to Europe a few years earlier, passed
under the name of Epidendrum. One might call labiata the 'eponymous hero'
of its tribe, for Lindley christened it in honour of his friend Mr.
Cattley, an enthusiastic amateur of Barnet. This was in 1818; from that
year until 1889 Cattleya labiata was lost. It seemed easy enough to follow
the journeyings of Swainson, who discovered it, and so reach the country
where it dwelt; collectors innumerable made the attempt, but never
succeeded. Mr. Sander, for instance, sent three at different times,
expressly to trace Swainson's footsteps so far as they are
recorded--Oversluys, Smith, and Bestwood; beside four others who
skirmished along the track. He assured himself that they had explored
every district which Swainson could possibly have visited; but of Cattleya
labiata they found no sign. Meanwhile the plants of the first importation
died off gradually, and the richest of mortals competed for the few
surviving. Ten years ago, when the long search came to an end, very few
were the persons in England who owned a specimen. I think I can name most
of them--Baron Schroeder, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Lord Rothschild, Duke of
Marlborough, Lord Home, Lord Howe, Messrs. J. Chamberlain, Statter, R. H.
Measures, R. I. Measures, Blandy, Hardy, Coleman, and Smith of the Isle of
Wight. One of the examples possessed by Mr. R. H. Measures belonged to the
variety Pescatorei, named after General Pescatore, the same leading
amateur of early days whose memory is kept green by the sweetest of
Odontoglossums, saving crispum. Cattleya labiata Pescatorei was a precious
treasure then; 'none so poor as do it reverence' in this generation. The
plant is still here, pretty enough so far as it goes, slightly
distinguished by a silver edging to the petals.

The puzzle of that first consignment has not been explained--we have only
eluded it, like Alexander at Gordium. Certainly Swainson did not find his
plants in the neighbourhood where they exist at this time. It is
conjectured that there were woods close to Rio, now cultivated ground,
where it flourished at the beginning of the century. However, in 1889,
Cattleya labiata reappeared; oddly enough a collector of insects found it
originally, and a collector of insects rediscovered it. The
'professionals' were beaten to the last.