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
Portia labiata in all cases. A test in 1997 showed that "P. labiata" from the Philippines and from Sri Lanka have similar preferences for different types of prey, and that the order of preference is: web spiders; jumping spiders; and insects. These preferences apply to both live prey and motionless lures, and to "P. labiata" specimens without prey for 7 days ("well-fed") and without prey for 14 days ("starved"). "P. labiata" specimens without prey for 21 days ("extra-starved") showed no preference for different types of prey. The test included as prey several species of web spiders and jumping spiders, and the selection