We had thunder and torrential rain yesterday and so the rain water tank is completely full – brilliant.  This is one of our clones of Masdevallia paiveana, a species native to Peru and Bolivia where it is found as an epiphyte in woodland around 2500m altitude.

This clone forms a neat little plant with 7cm leaves and attractive flowers produced on and off throughout the year. The flowers are covered in fine hairs which make them well worth a closer look.

The second clone is even more hairy but with otherwise identical flowers (below)

This clone is a little unruly as successive leaves are produced a few cm from the previous one giving it a scrambling habit but it is a strong grower and soon forms a large plant.

We find that the first clone does well in a pot or a basket where as the second clone does much better in a basket to suit its scrambling habit.