The national flower is the famous orchid, ''Rhyncholaelia digbyana'' (formerly known as ''Brassavola digbyana''), which replaced the rose in 1969. The change of the national flower was carried out during the administration of general Oswaldo López Arellano, thinking that ''Brassavola digbyana'' "is an indigenous plant of Honduras; having this flower exceptional characteristics of beauty, vigor and distinction", as the decree dictates it.