# Platystele umbellata



## Mathias (Aug 13, 2011)

Platystele umbellata is an orchid species from Colombia where it is found at elevations between 600 and 1600 m. I grow this plant on a waterfilled, porous terracotta pipe. It has been mounted there for about a year and is growing like crazy. As the water evaporates from the moist surface of the pipe it gets more cold than the surrounding environment. I really love this miniature species with its raspberry like flower heads. 

Whole plant photo:






Macro photo on a flower head. Each flower is apprix. 1 mm in size:


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## Lanmark (Aug 13, 2011)

Super nice!


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## paphioboy (Aug 13, 2011)

So cute! The inflorescence looks like a hoya or lantana!


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## W. Beetus (Aug 13, 2011)

Wow! If you didn't say anything, I would have definitely assumed it to be a Hoya! Very interesting!


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## SlipperFan (Aug 13, 2011)

How cute is that! At first, I thought it was raspberries, that someone was playing a joke on us.


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## NYEric (Aug 13, 2011)

That is well bloomed. One of my favorite platysteles but not easy as most. Andy's Orchids had one at a show that was about 25cm around. BTW, you should show something like a pencil next to the plant to show how small the blooms are. Thank for sharing.


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## Lanmark (Aug 14, 2011)

I adore the ultra minis!


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## JeanLux (Aug 14, 2011)

Lovely berries!!!! Jean


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## Marc (Aug 14, 2011)

I really love this one


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## fbrem (Aug 14, 2011)

unstoppable, I want one.


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## Wendelin (Aug 14, 2011)

That is a beautiful, well grown plant!:clap:
Nice pics as well!


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## biothanasis (Aug 19, 2011)

Wonderfully cute!!! Nice mounting technique too...!!! I think it could help the ones growing on the cooler side cope with hot periods....  TY


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## Trimorph (Aug 22, 2011)

Very nice!
Poorly I haven't the right conditions to grow this species.


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## goldenrose (Aug 25, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> How cute is that! At first, I thought it was raspberries, that someone was playing a joke on us.


:rollhappy: that was my thought too, from a distance it does looks like clusters of berries!
Just darling!


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## NYEric (Aug 25, 2011)

I know somewhere in the old GNYOS photos there should be a photo of the one from Andy's Orchids that was amazing.


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## Mathias (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks a lot for your comments. A nice thing with this species is that it flowers also from the old leaves, so as the plats gets bigger there is a chance for some spectacular shows. 

Btw., here is a picture of the whole mount, wich is an old terracotta drainage pipe that measures 30 cm high and 10 cm diameter. There are some more pictures and notes on the mounted species if you visit my photostream at Flickr.

The species flowering on the right is a Ceratochilus biglandulosus.






My Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mossiae/


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## luis mendoza (Aug 25, 2011)

Opppssss !!!!!

Beautiful plant, amazing closeup.


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## SlipperFan (Aug 26, 2011)

Cool idea, the ceramic drainage pipe!


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## NYEric (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanx for the info.


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## Erythrone (Aug 28, 2011)

Fantastic!


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## Clark (Aug 29, 2011)

Eye candy.

I killed mine with sunburn.
Big mistake showing wife yours.


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