Lepanthes calodictyon

This is one of the most desirable species in the genus, Lepanthes, not for its flowers but for its beautiful patterned leaves.  It is from Colombia and Ecuador and the plant is about 5cm tall with leaves 3cm in diameter and flowers that are only 8mm.  The species name refers to the net-patterned leaves.  I have trouble growing this with my cool-growing plants and am growing it now in a warmer area in a small terrarium.

Effusiella cypripedioides 'Ashlynn' CCM/AOS

Effusiella cypripedioides goes under quite a few different names.  If I am not mistaken the most current name is Stelis cypripedioides, but it can also be found under the name Pleurothallis cypripedioides.  By any name it is an unusual plant.  The plant itself is around 10cm tall and looks like many other Pleurothallids.  The flower spikes, however are different.  They are pendant and some of them have reached a length of nearly 15cm.  They bloom over a very long period of time, with a number of flowers open on each spike at once.  The 1cm flowers, too, are very unusual, a creamy green spotted with purple.  They do not open widely but the opening and interior of the flower is covered with white hairs.  This plant received a Certificate of Cultural Merit from the American Orchid Society (CCM/AOS) last week at the annual show of the Mount Baker Orchid Society and was awarded under the named Stelis cypripedioides.  The species is from Ecuador and Peru.

Dendrobium vexillarius

Dendrobium vexillarius is a high altitude miniature species from Papua New Guinea.  It is variable both in plant size and in flower color.  My plant is 8cm tall, but may grow larger since it was grown from a seedling and began flowering when only half its present size.  The unusually colored flowers are 3cm and last for many months.  They are produced at the end of the older pseudobulbs, often after the leaves have fallen off, and are usually two or three to each growth.

Porroglossum tripollex

Porroglossum is a genus of miniature orchids all of which have spring-loaded moveable, insect-trapping lips.  When the flower is disturbed by a visiting insect, the lip springs up trapping the insect against the column and hopefully effecting pollination.  The genus is related to Masdevallia and includes about 50 species.

This small plant is Porroglossum tripollex from Ecuador.  I have two of these, one with brown "tails" and this with yellow.  The flower looks to me like a bird's beak, but tripollex means "three thumbs," a resemblance I do not see.  It is cool to cold growing and comes from montane forests.

In these photos the flowers all have their insect-trapping lips in the open position, except for several flower in the picture of the plant and the upper flower in the largest picture.  The plant is difficult to photograph with the lips open because the slightest disturbance cause the lips to snap shot.

Dryadella cristata

A true miniature, this little Pleurothallid is only 3 cm tall with 1.5 cm flowers.  Dryadella cristata is from Colombia and blooms in the winter here.  The genus, Dryadella, was separated from Masdevallia and contains approximately 30 species.  In the case of this species the name of this plant refers to the crested petals, visible as blackish-purple bits in the center of the flowers.  The flowers are not very long-lasting and I grow it mounted on a piece of ceder shingle.

Acronia canadentis

Canidentis means "dog's tooth" and the name in this case refers to the shape of the petals.  Acronia or Pleurothallis canidentis is from Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia and is only 12cm tall with 2cm flowers, which are produced one at a time from the sheath at the base of the heart-shaped leaf.  The unusual colors and size of the flowers make it a desirable species, but it is cool-cold growing, coming from higher elevations and does not seem to tolerate warmer temperatures very well.

Sophrolaeliocattleya Circle of Life

I grow mostly miniature species, but have a few Paphiopedilums, Phalaenopsis and Cattleyas that I grow on windowsills and this is one of them, a hybrid of Laeliocattleya Culminant and the tiny red species, Sophronitis coccinea.  It blooms faithfully every spring and is one I raised from a very small seedling.