Masdevallia angulifera 'J & L' AM/AOS

Masdevallia angulifera belong to the Saltatrices group of Masdevallias, those with tubular, hair-lined flowers that have a pronounced "belly" at the base of the tube.  The plant is 12cm tall and the 2.5cm flowers are held above the leaves.  This clone was awarded by the American orchid Society for its dark color.  I grow it in a net pot in live sphagnum moss.

Trisetella strumosa

Trisetella vittata is a tiny species from Ecuador.  All the species in this genus are small, are closely related to Masdevallia and were once classified with Masdevallia.  The plant is 3cm tall, the spikes 4cm long and the flowers 2.5cm from tip to tip.  The Trisetellas can be very difficult to identify but I am reasonably certain that this is Trisetella strumosa.

Phalaenopsis violacea var. alba.

I purchased this species as a tiny seedling and it has been in bloom off and on for several years now, as is characteristic of the species, which blooms on long lasting flower spikes that produce only one flower at a time but do so over many years.  The ordinary form of this species has purple coloring especially on the lower parts of the flower, but this is a colorless form or alba.  Phalaenopsis violacea is from Malaysia and Sumatra.

Paphiopedilum venustum

My Paphiopedilum venustum is in bloom again.  It blooms faithfully very year in winter or early spring.  The flowers on my plant are nothing special, rather small for the species and rather poorly shaped, but the species is worth having even then and the detail of the flowers is incredible.  The plant is from the Himalayas, Nepal, Indian and Bangladesh.

Acianthera bragae

Acianthera bragae, also known as Pleurothallis sarracenia, is a tiny creeping species with terete (pencil-like) leaves.  The leaves are 3cm long and grow in a row on a creeping stem.  The 2cm flowers usually comes in pairs with the flowers facing each other, but occasionally as one.  The species is from Brazil.  I grow it mounted and with cool temperatures.

Spilotantha amanda

From Ecuador, this charming little species still goes under the name Masdevallia amanda, but has been reclassified as Spilotantha amanda.  The plant is only 8-10cm tall and the flowers are 1.5cm, three of four per spike.  "Amanda" means "beautiful" and the flowers, though rather oddly shaped are beautifully colored when seen up close.