Cattleya maxima

Epiphytic herb with club-shaped pseudobulbs, up to 39 cm. or taller with one leaf at the top (total height of pseudobulb and leaf about 61 cm).[1][2] Leaf oblong or broadly oblong, rounded at apex, light green, up to 35 cm. long and up to 6 cm. wide, thick and fleshy.[2] Inflorescence stem up to 30 cm long, with 3-6 (upland variety) or 12-15 (lowland variety) flowers.[1] Flowers 12–15 cm wide, with lilac or pale rose sepals and petals, except the lip or labellum, which has dark purple veins and a yellow area in the middle.[1][2][3] Dorsal sepal narrowly elliptic; lateral sepals elliptic lanceolate; petals elliptic with wavy margin; lip folded forming a tube, with the front margin curly and wavy.[2] Column slender and arched.[2]

Cattleya maxima occurs as an epiphyte on trees in dry forests from 100 to 1800 m of elevation, from Venezuela to northern Peru.[3] The upland variety can be found growing on rocky slopes.[1]