Today’s orchid is a really striking one and the largest flowered pleurothallis we grow. It is a small growing plant (the leaves and stems are currently 10cm long in total) that produces infrequent large solitary 5cm flowers. The name means half-red pleurothallis but our plant has hardly any red and its colouring is rather more reminiscent of a poached egg!

The plant is found in wet forest from 500-2100m and so it is at home in Cool Americas and it will be interesting to see how it develops into a specimen. A plant with many flowers our at once would be quite a sight. The plant seems to flourish in deep shade and in the dark the flower colour is ideal for attracting attention.