Finding

SITF has determined this plant to be Cattleya bradei, not Cattleya cardimii (Aug 2023). Withner describes C. cardimii with a photo (as Laelia cardimii) in his series "The Cattleyas and their Relatives Vol. 2-The Laelias". It carries three pale yellow flowers on a relatively tall, thin inflorescence with nearly 12 cm to the first flower. Cattleya bradei carries two to four flowers on much shorter inflorescences than C. cardimii on smaller plants like the plant in this submission. This is an excellent match to photos in the IOSPE, OW, orchidroots and the Withner book.

Inflorescence Overall Length: 3

Flower Natural Spread Length: 2.3

Flower Natural Spread Width: 2.1

Dorsal Sepal Length: .4

Dorsal Sepal Width: 1.0

Lateral Sepals Length: .4

Lateral Sepals Width: 1.0

Petals Length: .4

Petals Width: 1.0

Judging Center: Hawaii-Hilo

Award Number: 20223809

Award Date: September 10, 2022

Description is as follows:

"Three flowers and three buds on two 3-cm inflorescences emerging from the apex of 2-cm pseudobulbs, ovoid, erect, rigid; leaf fusiform, succulent, coriaceous; sepals and petals lanceolate, buff yellow; lip trilobed, sidelobes forming an arching tube, midlobe margin crisped; substance thin; texture matte. Kew lists this species as synonymous with C. blumenscheinii but despite a similarity in the flowers we see substantial differences in habit, inflorescences, and floriferousness."

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