Name: Laelia tenebrosa (Rolfe) Rolfe
Synonyms: Laelia grandis var. tenebrosa Rolfe; Sophronitis tenebrosa (Rolfe) Van den Berg & M.W.Chase; Cattleya tenebrosa (Rolfe) A.A.Chadwick
Etymology: tenebrosa = dark / gloomy — refers to the unusually dark, brownish-copper coloration of the petals.

First description: Described in 1891 by Robert Allen Rolfe (initially as a variety of Laelia grandis, established as a distinct species in 1893).
Origin / distribution: Brazil (endemic to the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia).
Location / habitat: Growing epiphytically in the dense canopy of humid Atlantic rainforests (Mata Atlântica). It thrives there at warm-temperate to intermediate elevations, with high humidity year-round and heavy morning mist.
Description & notes: Laelia tenebrosa is a robust, large-growing orchid with upright, slightly club-shaped pseudobulbs, each bearing a single long, extremely leathery leaf. The inflorescence emerges from a large leaf sheath and produces up to four spectacular flowers, up to 20 cm across. The narrow sepals and petals vary in color from bronze and copper to deep chocolate brown. They contrast magnificently with the large, funnel-shaped lip, which is an intense, deep violet-pink and darkly veined in the throat.

In cultivation, this imposing species needs plenty of light (bright, but protected from the harsh midday sun) and warm to intermediate temperatures. During the summer growing season, it requires abundant watering, but the coarse, exceptionally well-aerated medium (such as coarse pine bark) must dry quickly between waterings. After flowering in late summer, it enters a pronounced rest period, during which watering should be reduced to prevent root rot.

Culture: Warm to intermediate, at around 16–28 °C, and very bright. Grow in coarse bark, water abundantly during growth and allow to dry quickly afterward; keep somewhat drier after flowering.