This plant grows in the northeastern area of Brazil, in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas.

The plant has long leaves, with a tough (coriaceous) consistency because of the aridity in the canopy of trees, due to a short dry season.

In the wet season new leaves grow rapidly, producing a large flowered inflorescence.

Pollination is performed by insects, usually by a scent-collecting male euglossine bee.

[citation needed] The diploid chromosome number of C. labiata has been variously determined as 2n = 40, 41, and 46.