the following article fircle appeaared in the february 1956 (vol.25,No.2,page 159) American Orchid society BULLETIN as part of a muiti-part Beginners' Handbook. It has been edited here to reflect current taxonomic nomencalature and synonymy. At the time of the iriginal publication, the Brazilian laelias and Sophronitis were considered distinct from Cattleya. They have been now reclassified and the Central American bifoliate cattleya moved to Guarianthe.those Cattleya species that flom specially modified reproductlve growths (appear to be basal infiorescenes) are not, strictly speaking, bifollate cattleyas but they were included here by the author. the atrictly speaking, bifollate citrina) have been moved to the enf of the article.