Name: Cattleya tigrina, A.Rich.1848
Synonyms: Cattleya guttata subvar. immaculata, Rchb.f. 1886
Cattleya guttata var. leopardina, L.Linden & Rodigas 1885
Cattleya guttata var. leopoldii, (Verschaff. ex Lem.) Linden & Rchb.f. 1860
Cattleya guttata var. purpurea, Cogn.1900
Cattleya guttata var. williamsiana, Rchb.f. 1884
Cattleya leopoldii, Versch. 1854
Cattleya leopoldii f. alba, (Fowlie) F.Barros & J.A.N.Bat. 2004
Cattleya leopoldii f. caerulea, (L.C.Menezes) F.Barros & J.A.N.Bat. 2004
Cattleya leopoldii f. immaculata, (Rchb.f.) M.Wolff & O.Gruss 2007
Cattleya leopoldii var. alba, Fowlie 1964
Cattleya leopoldii var. immaculata, (Rchb.f.) Fowlie 1977
Cattleya leopoldii var. leopardina, (L.Linden & Rodigas) Fowlie 1964;
Cattleya leopoldii var. purpurea Cogn. 1900
Cattleya leopoldii var. williamsiana, (Rchb.f.) Fowlie 1964
Cattleya tigrina var. caerulea, L.C.Menezes 1993
Cattleya tigrina var. immaculata, (Rchb.f.) Braem 1984
Cattleya tigrina var. leopardina, (L.Linden & Rodigas) Braem 1984
Cattleya tigrina var. purpurea, (Cogn.) Braem 1984
Cattleya tigrina var. williamsiana, (Rchb.f.) Braem 1984
Epidendrum elatius var. leopoldii, (Verschaff. ex Lem.) Rchb.f. 1862
Epidendrum elegans, Vell. 1831;
Etymology: tigrina = striped like a tiger
Origin: Brazil
Habitat: Cattleya tigrina grows epiphytically, occasionally terrestrially or lithophytically in coastal forests below 100 meters in southern Brazil.
Notes: Cattleya tigrina belongs to the bifoliate (two-leaved) Cattleya species and can grow to over 1.2 m tall. The inflorescence is terminal on the pseudobulb, the flowers are intensely waxy and can remain in bloom for over 4 weeks.
Cattleya tigrina has a very turbulent nomenclatural history. Cattleya guttata was discovered a few years earlier (1831) and quickly found its way into cultivation. Cattleya tigrina is distinguished by its darker flowers and was for a long time marketed as Cattleya guttata var. leopoldii. The name Cattleya tigrina had long since fallen into oblivion. In the 1980s of the 20
th century, Achille Richard's original description of Cattleya tigrina was unearthed, and the new name was promoted as the new and sole valid name. The naming was also highly controversial in the following years, as many unspotted-flowering plants were also collected.
In 2014, Cassio van Berg published the thesis that modern genetic analysis has confirmed many Cattleya natural forms as natural hybrids. According to genetic analysis, Cattleya tigrina is supposed to be a natural hybrid of C. guttata with Cattleya bicolor, in particular Cattleya bicolor var. minasgeraiensis is supposed to occur geographically close to C. guttata in nature.