Dendrobium agathodaemonis

Dendrobium agathodaemonis is considered by some to be a synonym of Dendrobium cuthbertsonii.  To me, however, there are obvious differences, though they may not warrant species status.  Even though the flowers are of the same shape and size as Dendrobium cuthbertsonii, they lack the dark markings on the lip and have growths that are much thinner.  Both of these features are obvious in the following photos.  Like its near relative it is a prolific bloomer when grown well and has flowers that last many months.

Trisetella regia

Trisetella regia is, relatively speaking, the giant of the genus, and well-named regia or "regal."  Most of the plants in the genus are tiny, only a few centimeters tall, with small flowers (1.5-2 cm) on short flower spikes.  This species is 7 cm tall with long 20 cm flower spikes and 4 cm flowers.  The flowers are typical in shape and color for the genus and have the long "tails" for which the genus is named.  Their obvious resemblance to Masdevallias had them classified as Masdevallias at one time.

Paphiopedilum sukhakulii

This is the same plant and the same blooming that I posted a couple of weeks ago, but this time photographed on black or dark blue.  As I mentioned in the previous post, this plant always produces two flowers for me.  The species is from Thailand, is one of the smaller Paphiopedilums and has beautifully patterned leaves.

Trichosalpinx vasquezii

I didn't even have a country of origin for this one when I posted this.  If I remember it was given me and all that was obvious was that it belonged to the genus Trichosalpinx, a genus of plants related to Pleurothallis.  Since posting the pictures, however, the species has been identified by Wiel Driessen with the help of Chad Lees, who sent him the link.  It is Trichosalpinx vasquezii from Bolivia, a very rare species.  The flowers are tiny, just a few millimeters, and are held against the bottom of the leaf and are not visible unless the plant is turned upside down.  The plant is 15 cm tall.

Reichantha striatella

Reichantha stritella or Masdevallia striatella is an attractive species from Ecuador.  It has striped flowers, quite unusual in the genus Masdevallia.  The plant is 8 cm tall and the flowers are 1.5 cm long.  It blooms late fall or early in the winter, and I grow it, like most of my Masdevallias, in a plastic net pot in live sphagnum moss.

Barbosella australis

Barbosella australis is a tiny creeping species with paddle-shaped leaves and large flowers in proportion to the size of the plant.  The leaves are 1.5 cm and the flowers 2 cm.  It always blooms for me in autumn and is from southern Brazil (hence the name australis).  The flowers are not very showy but are unusually shaped and colored and the genus is related to Masdevallia and Pleurothallis.