Leptotes (plant) are mounted on plaques of vegetal fiber or tree cork. Watering and fertilizer must be more frequent during active growth periods and less during dormant periods. Ideal growth conditions require an intermediate temperature and exposure to filtered sunlight. In April 1833, an unknown species from the Serra dos Órgãos mountains of Brazil blossomed in the greenhouse of Mrs. Arnold Harrison, an English collector of orchids homaged in diverse descriptions of noted species such as "Bifrenaria harrisoniae" and "Cattleya harrisoniana". A short time later, Mrs. Harrison sent a drawing and cutting of this plant to the botanist John Lindley, who verified
Cattleya amethystoglossa The lip is bright magenta in color and partially wraps around the column. The throat varies in color from white to pale yellow or gold. Flowers are produced from late fall to early spring. "C. amethystoglossa" grows best in intermediate or warm growing conditions. This species is closely related to "C. guttata" in many ways but differs in flower color and other minor botanical details. There have been a few coerulea and alba forms found in the wild. There are several synonyms for this species: "Cattleya amethystoglossa" var. "lilacina", "Cattleya guttata keteleerii", "Cattleya guttatta lilacina", "Cattleya guttata prinzii", "Cattleya guttata"