Laelia purpurata var. schusteriana

[Rosim_in_BR]

No doubt this a wonderful lip!
This has been treated as a separate variety here in Brazil, but I really can't agree. The only difference between this and the variety roxo-violeta is the size of the lip. To me, creating a new variety based only upon the size of the lip is to push things a little, but that's the way things are for now. For me, the correct name would be Laelia purpurata var. roxo-violeta, like so many other of this color.
Anyway, none of this makes it less beautiful than it is!

[peeweelovesbooks]

This is gorgeous.

[isurus79]

That is awesome Mauro! I've got a clone of this one and I can't wait for spring!!

[RosieC]

It's gorgeous, and the lip is stunning!

[Jan Pahl]

So that's the difference!!!!! the lip size hehehehehe....I always called all this group of "true" coeruleas among purpuraqtas as roxo-violetas just because I didn't find any difference between aço's and shusterianas and every explanations I was able to find was contradictory and very very very subjective if someone know (has I know) examples outside photos... In terms of color, the only difference I find between this group of coeruleas is the hue or in other words the deepness of the blue... but that is a individual difference easy to find in any group of coeruleas on any laeliinae, even between siblings.

I find more "differences" between "Ardosias" than within "roxo-violetas" even if all ardosias on cultivation are descendants of just 2 wild plants (at least outside Brazil because inside Brazil If I recall well there is another clone involved in some plants, but I'm not sure about that), Ardosias at least they vary not only in terms of hue, but in the nature of the color....on one side of the "ardosia" spectrum they are the more real indigo violet-blue, wile in the other side of the spectrum they are the more real grey colored that correlate more with the word "Ardosia"(Slate).

It's quite amazing how colors behave inside brazilian laelias but specially inside purpurata, in fact at least they have two different mutations that produce deep rich colored coeruleas, and one of those mutations the "Ardosias",is amazing how they produce those differences considering that the same gene is the responsible for both sides of the spectrum.

In one parragraf Mauro... If someone like to have at least one color representative of coerulea possibilities inside purpurata, the grower needs at least 3 plants.

At last... thanks a lot for your beautiful "shusteriana"

P.D. I don't use werkhauseri here because is more clonal name than variety name even if outside Brazil "ardosia" is not well known as "variety" name and all ardosias are called werkhauseri... but knowing that many users here are from Brazil, them I keep Ardosia to be better understood that I am not talking about werkhauseri 1 or werkhauseri 2, but in behalf of all 3 or 4 originally wild collected Ardosias from Torres municipality and all its descendants on cultivation.

[Ethan]

That's just beautiful, Mauro! Nice job!

[Intruder]

It's a beauty!

[smweaver]

Fantastic, Mauro. That color of that lip is outstanding.

Steve

[Gena]

Originally Posted by Rosim_in_BR

No doubt this a wonderful lip!

No doubt indeed, Mauro! Stunning!

[dr_dmd]

I also have one of these like you Mauro - I got it at Santa Barbara Orchid Estates last July during the summer show. I haven't ever seen the variety you call "roxo-violeta" here in the USA, though the shusteriana name is used frequently. Perhaps I haven't yet come across a roxo-violeta" here yet. I often wonder if we aren't using a different name simply because so many Americans are monolingual that they become confused by terms, even in similar languages like Portuguese, French or Spanish. Nevertheless, it is certainly a beautiful flower - my favorite among the L. purpuratas. Thanks for sharing yours!