Orchid of the day: Stelis ciliolata

Stelis ciliolata

Stelis ciliolata is a charming little orchid from Ecuador’s cool rain forests.  We are not collectors of miniature cool growing orchids but Arne bought this little species two-three years ago because of the unexpected success with a similar orchid, Stelis quadrifida, that arrived as a hitchhiker attached to a Dendrobium about ten years earlier, see my previous post, on March 5th, 2016.  Side by side it is quite easy to say that Stelis ciliolata is culturally more demanding than its relative quadrifida and needs much more humid conditions. Stelis ciliolata is a very recent discovery and was described as late as 2004 by Carlyle Luer and Stig Dalström.

A) Flowers are continuously blooming and fading away.

B) The petals of each flower are deep purple with feathery white hue along the edges.

C) A close up of the flower.

D) The entire plant is growing in a tree fern.

E) We are not able to determine how many flowers this orchid has as the flowers keep developing over the period of two months now.

Until my next post, have a great week!