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.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Very typical of the section of Masdevallia to which it belongs (Saltatrices) with its brightly colored, tubular flowers, Masdevallia hirtzii is from Ecuador and Peru.  It is a very small plant, only 8 cm tall, and produces an abundance of 4 cm flowers if well grown.  It is supposed to be temperature tolerant but I grow my plant intermediate to cool in sphagnum moss in a net pot.  It blooms faithfully for me every year in late autumn and winter.

Trichoceros hajekiorum

I am not entirely sure of the identification of this species.  It was purchased a Trichoceros species from Peru and seems to fit best the description of Trichoceros hajekiorum.  It has a rambling habit with the small pseudobulbs spaced at 3-4 cm intervals, each carrying a tiny leaf at the top of the pseudobulb and with larger sheathing leaves around the pseudobulb.  The 8 cm flower spikes come from the base of the pseudobulb and carry two flowers.

 

Masdevallia coccinea 'Dwarf Pink'

Masdevallia coccinea is one of the larger Masdevallias with very long flower spikes, far to big for my collection.  This plant, however, is a dwarf form, that fits my growing area, though it is still quite large.  The plant is 15 cm tall (it can be twice that size) with flower spikes that reach another 15 cm above the plant.  The 5 cm flowers open are dark pink and fade to paler pink.  It blooms in the spring and is grown in a 15 cm pot in sphagnum moss.  The species is from the Peruvian Andes.

Luzama amaluzae

Better known as Masdevallia amaluzae, this small species is from Ecuador and seems to do best mounted.  It blooms in the spring with 3 cm flowers held well away from the plant on 6-8 cm spikes.  It  blooms reliably every spring.  I grow it with my other cool-temperature species.

Porroglossum meridionale

It seems to be Porroglossum season since almost all of mine are in bloom at the moment.  Porroglossum meridionale is another species from this genus of insect-trapping flowers.  The flowers have hinged lips and  when disturbed by a small insect the lip suddenly snaps up trapping the insect against the column, effecting pollination.  Most of the pictures show the lip open but the last two photos show the lip up against the column.  The plant is 6 cm tall, the flower spikes 10 cm in length, and the flowers 1.5 cm.  It comes from Peru.

Masdevallia lucernula

Masdevallia lucernula is from Peru and belongs to the Masdevallia section of the genus.  It has the  bright colors of many of the flowers in that section but the flowers do not open as widely as others in the section.  This example of the species actually opens more widely than others which are almost closed at the end of the tube.  The species name, lucernula, means "little lamp" and rather aptly describes these charming flowers.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Very typical of the section of Masdevallia to which it belongs (Saltatrices) with its brightly colored, tubular flowers, Masdevallia hirtzii is from Ecuador and Peru.  It is a very small plant, only 8 cm tall, and produces an abundance of 4 cm flowers if well grown.  It is supposed to be temperature tolerant but I grow my plant intermediate to cool in sphagnum moss in a net pot.  It blooms faithfully for me every year in late autumn and winter.

Restrepia sanguinea 'Walter'

This plant was awarded by the American Orchid Society as Restrepia sanguinea but I've been told it's actually Restrepia guttulata.  If it is the latter species it is from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.  The plant is about 10 cm tall and the flowers are 5 cm from tip to tip.  My plant is grown in a plastic net pot in sphagnum moss and is very easy to grow.