Lepanthes ingridiana

Lepanthes ingridiana is a rare species whose flowers are some of the largest in the genus. Many Lepanthes are tiny plants, only centimeters tall, but this plan quite large for the genus, 15-20 cm tall. It bears a single 6 cm leaf on an upright stem with the typical bracts of a Lepanthes and flowers that would be 8 cm long if laid flat. Each stem produces flowers over a very long time, though only one at a time, and each leaf produces a number of stems, so the plants are seldom out of bloom. The flowers are often held at the back of the leaf as in the photo. The plants are native to Ecuador and Columbia and come from higher elevations. They require cool temperatures in cultivation. My plant is grown in sphagnum moss in a plastic pot.