Stelis omalosantha

Stelis omalosantha is one of our smaller Stelis species and is found in Brazilian cloud forest above 1000m where it grows in shade. We explored this habitat during our school expeditions to Mata Atlantica rainforest and were very taken by the diversity of tiny orchids such as this species. The leaves are 4cm long and the delightful little furry flowers are produced well clear of the leaves.

Stelis is a large genus and we were particularly impressed seeing species in the wild covered in their tiny but beautiful flowers. Stelis omalosanthus has relatively large flowers for the size of the plant and they have tint hairs giving the flowers a furry look.

We grow our Stelis in our Cloud Forest Greenhouse where they are kept shaded and wet all year to replicate their cloud forest home. 

The plant shown here is mounted but plants do just as well in pots and baskets.

I have added an image of the Brazillian cloud forest home that Stelis omalosantha comes from. I took the photo in the dry season but as you can see the forests are shrouded in cloud (it is late afternoon) and the forest will be dripping wet by the morning.