Yesterday we recorded this orchid growing on Mount Pueh on a tree fern at 300m altitude in a humid spot above a waterfall. We have now had time to do a bit of research and have found that this is one of those plants that highlight the value of getting out to these remote spots and exploring. The species has been recorded from Borneo and Peninsula Malaysia but it is not a common plant and does not seem to be in cultivation. It has a lot of great attributes – it is small 15cm leaves and 2cm bulbs and has relatively long arching spikes of colourful little flowers.

The plant we found is growing in moss on a dead tree fern showing it likes life warm, wet and bright.

Acriopsis is not a genus of orchids we were familiar with before coming to Borneo but we have seen lots of the related Acriopsis indica (below flowering at Kubah on the July expedition) which is bigger growing and characteristic long branched spikes.

It is definitely a genus worth getting to know better and indicative of the immense pleasure I get from the opportunity to learn a new orchid flora.