Japanese Archival Note Card, Cattleya Dowiana Var. Aurea by Ikeda Zuigetsu: Ranka-Fu Orchid Series

A yellow and maroon bloom with thin petals nods over spreading green leaves.

This archival note card of the orchid Cattleya Dowiana var. Aurea from the Ranka-Fu orchid series is from Japan. Ikeda Zuigetsu lived from 1877 to 1944, and the Ranka-Fu series is an orchid series from Japan, where orchid cultivation had a long history before the twentieth century. One flower with narrow yellow petals and a deep red lip sits at the top of a stem. Broad glossy green leaves fan out below, against a warm golden-cream ground. Shading is smooth and delicate. It is 5 inches long and 7 high.

A small flower with a wonderfully dramatic maroon center.