Stelis ciliolata

Native to Ecuador, this plant is found at higher elevations and requires, therefore, cool temperatures in cultivation.  Its name, ciliolata, refers to the striking white "hairs" that fringe the sepals.  The plant is 12 cm tall with flower spikes that grow to about 20 cm.  The spikes carry 15 or more 1.5 cm flowers, several of which may be open at a time, and the spikes bloom over a long period.  The plant, as a result, is seldom out of bloom.

Acinopetala herradurae

Acinopetala is a new name for this species which was previously classified as a Masdevallia.  It is charming species, but not as beautiful as Masdevallia lamprotyria, the species that this was supposed to be when I purchased it.  This species is small with narrow leaves 10 cm long and 4 cm flowers.  Though not very colorful the flowers are produced in abundance.  The plant is native to Colombia and Ecuador.

Restrepia sanguinea 'Walter'

The "Blood-red Restrepia," for that is what sanguinea means, is from Colombia and in plant habit and size is typical for the genus.  The erect growth, around 10 cm tall, carry a single lanceolate leaf and the 5-6 cm flowers come from the base of the leaf on rather long stems.  This particular flower is from the clone, "Walter," which has been awarded five times by the American Orchid Society for its large and deeply colored flowers.  Like all Restrepias each growth produces a succession of flowers over a very long period of time and is seldom without flowers.

Note: this plant was awarded by the American Orchid Society as Restrepia sanguinea, but I am told it is actually Restrepia guttulata.

Platystele ovatilabia

When I posted this tiny species previously, I was not very happy with the photos.  It is in bloom once again and this time I managed to get some good pictures of the flowers which show how transparent they are and which give a much better idea of their charm.  They are tiny, only 3 mm across, and are on a plant only 4-5 cm tall.  The plant grows across Central America and into Mexico.  It is best grown mounted since it forms a kind of mat of leaves and though reputed to bloom in the spring, always blooms for me in the fall.

http://orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/search/label/platystele%20ovatilabia

Lepanthopsis vinacea

For miniatures that are easy to grow, floriferous and beautiful, one should consider the smaller species in the genus Lepanthopsis.  As the name indicates these are closely related to Lepanthes and are native to the Americas from Mexico to the West Indies and Brazil.  There are 25 species in the genus and this plant is fairly typical with its small but intensely colored flowers.

Lepanthopsis vinacea comes from Venezuela and Ecuador and as the name vinacea indicates has "wine-red" flowers.  Under a macro lens the flowers show themselves to be nearly transparent and arranged in soldier-like rows along the spikes.  These flowers are only a few millimeters in size and the plant is only about 6 cm tall with  flower spikes about the same length as the growths.

I've provided pictures of the flowers both on a black and a light colored background: