In contrast to yesterday’s large flowered cattleya we have one of our smallest flowered orchids today. This tiny flowered species which is endemic to North Eastern Colombia arrived in the school greenhouses as a ‘weed’ on Pleurothallis sclerophylla and has since expanded into a ball and produced many offspring.

The 2mm deep red flowers are produced in sprays on a 1cm spike and usually line up back to back so that flowers look two ways. The plant is in flower for much of the year but I am sorry to say we often forget it because the flowers are so small.

From our experience this miniature is easy to grow mounted when kept cool and wet.