A Tiny But Stubborn Stelis Orchid
In all the years I’ve been doing this blog, this tiny Stelis orchid has not bloomed — until now! It had flowered in past years, but not since 2006. I don’t know what’s made it so happy, but it now boasts eight flower spikes, despite some hot and dry weather. Dave and I were finally able to take good photos.
Stelis is a large genus of pleurothallids. These Masdevallia relatives range from Florida to Argentina, centered in the cloud forests of the Andes. There are hundreds of different species, many tough to tell apart. On this plant, the tiny triangular blooms are about ΒΌ inch (6 mm) tall. Despite their eye-straining size, all the requisite orchid flower parts are there. It’s easier to appreciate them with the help of a camera zoom, especially the small white hairs which fringe each flower.
This plants lives outdoors in the fog all year. It receives daily watering, and a small amount of direct sun. Some Stelis varieties only open their flowers in full sun, but mine has kept them open for a couple weeks regardless of the weather. Even with these photos, it will be tough to figure out which Stelis species I have. But I can still enjoy the cute blossoms on this stubborn little orchid.
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