Spilotantha amanda

Formerly Masdevallia amanda, this attractive miniature species comes from Ecuador and is well-named, since amanda mean "enchanting.".  The plant is 7-8cm tall and the small flowers, about 1.5cm, are held well above the foliage and come 3-4 flowers per spike.

Alaticaulia weberbaueri

 Alaticaulia weberbaueri comes from Ecuador and Peru and is a small size species, 18cm tall, with 2 cm flowers that open in succession, several to a flower spike.  The triangular (in cross-section) inflorescence is one of the distinguishing features of the group of plants to which this species belongs.  Formerly known as Masdevallia weberbaueri, it is named for its discoverer.

Sophrolaeliocattleya Minibeau

This mini-Cattleya is a hybrid of Sophrocattleya Beautfort and Sophrolaelia Minipet.  The plant is less than fifteen cm tall and the flowers very large in proportion to the plant, around eight cm across.  It is one of the few hybrids I grow.

Masdevallia eurynogaster

Masdevallia eurynogaster is another species in the Saltatrices group of Masdevallias.  The flowers in this group are tubular, have glandular hairs on the inside of the flower tube, and have a "belly" at the base of the flower tube.  This species is from Ecuador and blooms on lax spikes that tend to hang over the side of the pot.  The plant is about 9 cm tall and the flowers about 4.5 cm from the tips of the tails.  This is the first time I've grown and bloomed this attractive species.

Zygostates multiflora

This miniature species belong to a group of orchids known as the Ornithocephalinae, all of them related to the "Bird's Head" orchids in the genus Ornithocephalus.  This species, as is the case with many other in the group, is from Brazil.  Its name is appropriate since it is indeed "many-flowered."  The plant itself is 3 cm tall with tiny psuedobulbs and leaves.  The flower spikes are 15 cm long and bear numerous, white, 5 mm flowers that are very intricate and have a shiny green tip to the column.

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii bicolor

Purchased recently from Mountain Orchids, this seedling is blooming for the first time with three of its huge flowers and two buds.  Dendrobium cuthertsonii is a micro miniature species from New Guinea.  The plants are only a few centimeters tall and are almost hidden by the huge 3 cm flowers.  This plant with its bicolor flowers is the result of careful selection and breeding of the species.

Trisetella hoeijeri

This tiny orchid is related to Masdevallia and used to be classified with them.  It is native to Ecuador, grows at high elevations and requires cool temperatures.  It is named after its Swedish discover who found it first in 1990.  Because of its tiny size it is best grown mounted on a twig or small branch and needs good humidity and frequent watering.

The plant itself is only 2-3 cm tall but the flowers are 3 cm by 5.5 cm measured from the tips of the tails.  They have a sparkling texture and look like little white birds in flight.  The flowers are carried on thin wiry spikes that are about 3.5 cm long.  It blooms off and on year around but produces a flush of flowers in the late spring or early summer.

It is very different both in flower shape and color from most of the other species in the genus.  Most of them have reddish or purplish flowers with a rather cupped shape and are quite small in comparison to this species.  For these reasons the species is also one of the more desirable in the genus and was much sought after when first discovered.