Octomeria densiflora is another autumn regular and lights up our Cool Americas section with its masses of pale flowers.

This beautiful species is native to the Mata Atlantica cool cloud forests of Brazil and a species we found near Macae de Cima on our expeditions in 2001 and 2006 at around 1300m altitude.

The lemon yellow flowers have a red lip,and are small (about 1cm across) but are produced in profusion. The grey-green thick leaves are also very attractive.

All of our plants have come from a single flask purchased from Equatorial Plants in 2001 and the plants continue to flourish in pots, baskets and mounted.

The flowers are short lived but produce a dramatic display with the small plants smothered in flower