Maxillaria tenuifolia

Know as the coconut orchid for its scent - it smells exactly like fresh coconut - Maxillaria tenuifolia is from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.  It is easy to grow and a common orchid in collections, often growing into very large clumps with hundreds of flowers.

Because it grows into a large specimen plant so quickly it is an orchid I no longer grow.  The plant itself, however, is very reasonably sized, with 3-4 cm flat pseudobulbs and a single narrow, 20-25 cm leaf at the top of the pseudobulb.  The 4-5 cm flowers arise from the base of the pseudobulbs.

The genus name, Maxillaria, refers to the jaw-like base of the lip in this species and other larger-flowered species in the genus.  The species name, tenuifolia, refers to the narrow, grass-like foliage of the plant.  It is an attractive plant with large and beautiful flowers.

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Acinopetala chontalensis

Formerly Masdevallia chontalensis (still that if you don't accept Dr. Luer's new classifications), this small species is a real jewel.  It is from Nicaragua and is less than 6 cm tall with bloom that appear on short spikes just above the foliage.  It almost always has two flowers per spike and the flowers, though small are very colorful.  It is named for Chonal County in Nicaragua, one of its native habitats.

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Zootrophion endresianum

This interesting orchid species was purchased as Zootrophion gracilentum, but I am pretty certain that is not that species. The description of Zootrophion endresianum fits this species better.

The plant is about 20 cm tall and freely produces its strange and interesting flowers during the summer. The flowers are about 3 cm in size and only open little "windows" in the sides of the flower, through which the pollinating insect must crawl.

The name Zootrophion refers to the cage-like shape of the flowers with their little "windows." The name endresianum refers to a German orchid collector of the 19th century.  The species is from Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia and tolerates a wide range of temperatures. It is considered by some to be synonymous with Zootrophion hypodiscus.

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