genus of orchids, family Orchidaceae, containing as many as 75 species of plants with attractively coloured flowers. Many species have been crossed with Cattleya and other genera to produce hybrid orchids for the commercial flower trade.

All Laelia species are epiphytic; that is, they are supported by other plants and have aerial roots exposed to the humid atmosphere. The pseudobulbs (swollen stems) of various Laelia species may be long, oval, or rounded.