cattleya, (genus Cattleya), genus of about 45 species of orchids (family Orchidaceae), several of which are commercially important as ornamentals and florists’ plants. Cattleyas are native to tropical America and are widely grown in greenhouses and other bright humid indoor environments. Cattleya labiata, one of the most commonly cultivated species, has been crossed with numerous other orchid genera to produce thousands of showy hybrids. The flowers are commonly used in corsages.
Many cattleyas are epiphytic or grow on rocks. Most have large pseudobulbs (bulblike stems), somewhat succulent leaves, and 1–30 large brightly coloured flowers. The flowers have three sepals and three petals, one of which is modified to form a prominent labellum (lip). The unmodified petals are often fringed and larger than the sepals, though the petals and sepals are very similar in some species. The seeds are fine and dustlike.