Dendrobium barbatulum

Luisia birchea

Eria exilis

Dendrobium microbulbon

Bulbophyllum sterile

Porpax reticulata

Dendrobium herbaceum

Bulbophyllum fimbriatum

Dendrobium crepidatum

Inflorescence: One to two flowers arising from the nodes of leafless canes that have just finished growth in the previous season.

Flowers: Pale pink and about an inch across with a contrasting yellow throat. The flowers on this particular variety lasted just a day.

Plant habit: Drooping epiphyte whose pseudobulbs(canes) initially grow upright but then droop under the weight of the cane.

Altitude: Above 1000 metres asl.

Flowering time: March to April.

Fragrance: None.

Distribution: Himalayan foothills and Western Ghats.

Heat tolerance: In the plains it does not bloom with many flowers. It is an intermediate plant.

Smithsonia straminea

Coelogyne breviscapa

Inflorescence:  Arching to drooping few-flowered raceme with 3-5 flowers.

Flowers:  3/4 of an inch across and white in colour. There are two fine crenate(zigzag) calli along the length of the lip which have yellow tips and end about 0.5 cm short of the lip tip.

Plant Habit:  Sympodial epiphyte with inverted cone-shaped pseudobulbs terminating in two thin long leaves.

Altitude:  Found at about 900 metres asl upwards.

Flowering time:  February-March.

Fragrance: None.

Distribution: Southern India(Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka.

Heat tolerance: Among the Coelogynes of South India it is the most heat tolerant.

Dendrobium ovatum 'pink'

Dendrobium crumenatum

This is a pretty orchid with short-lived flowers that last only a day but blooms several times a year. The trigger for blooming seems to be rainfall after a dry spell causing a drop in temperatures. The plant comes into bloom about 10 days from the trigger. The old flower stalks should not be removed as they are known to rebloom on old spikes. They can form specimen clumps quite fast and enjoy a lot of sunlight.

Luisia abrahamii

Inflorescence: Short raceme with 2 to 3 flowers.
Flower size: About 3/4 of an inch across and about an inch in length.
Plant habit:  Terete-leaved epiphyte with a drooping habit and roots that have a granular surface texture.
Altitude: A little inland at sea level to 400 metres asl.
Flowering time: Late September, October and early November.
Fragrance: None.
Distribution: Local endemic found only in Kerala.
Heat tolerance: Blooms well in the plains.

Dendrobium aqueum

Inflorescence: 2-3 flowers arise from the nodes opposite the leaves on the pseudobulbs.
Flower size:  About 1 to 1.5 inches across.
Plant habit: Sympodial growth habit with pendulous pseudobulbs reaching up to 2 feet in length. The leafless canes are a deep maroon red. Found growing on trees covered in moss in considerable amount of shade.
Altitude: Above 900 metres asl.
Flowering time:  September to October.  It blooms from pseudobulbs that have just completed their growth during the monsoons.
Fragrance: Yes.
Distribution: Western Ghats.

Polystachya concreta

This is a pan tropical species and a very peculiar looking sympodial orchid because it looks like a terrestrial but is epiphytic. The individual growths can measure anywhere between 2 to 6 inches in height and are found growing in a reasonable amount of shade at about 800 to 1000 meters asl. The non fragrant flowers are very tiny, about 3 mm across with floral segments which are green in colour except for the lip which is white and occupies a superior position. The flowers are arranged on a terminal branched raceme and bloom from June through August.

Ludisia discolor

This is a lovely jewel orchid that though is not a native of the Western Ghats is found in India, South East Asia and Indonesia. They like to be grown moist and in full shade. Blooms during October for me.

Eulophia graminea/epidendreae

Inflorescence:  Upright branched raceme with sequentially opening flowers.
Flower size: About an inch across.
Plant habit: Terrestrial found growing in leaf litter and humus in rock crevices. The plant has a bulb like stem with alternating thin leaves.
Altitude: A little inland at sea level.
Flowering time:  September to November.
Fragrance:  None.
Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, South East Asia.
Heat tolerance: Blooms freely in the plains.
Hortus malabaricus name:  Katou-Theka Maravara

Cleisostoma tenuifolium

Inflorescence: Drooping raceme
Flower size: 7 mm across
Plant habit:  Small-sized epiphyte with thin long leaves
Altitude:  Sea level to 800 meters asl
Flowering time:  July through September
Fragrance:  None
Distribution:  South West India, Sri Lanka and Thailand
Heat tolerance:  Blooms in the plains
Hortus malabaricus name:  Tsjerou mau maravara, Kolli tsjerou mau maravara

Luisia zeylanica

Status: Common.

Inflorescence: Short raceme with 4-5 flowers.

Flower size: About 5 mm across.

Plant habit: Epiphytic, terete leaved.

Altitude: Sea level to 800 metres asl.

Flowering time:  July to August.

Fragrance:  No.

Endemism: Nepal, Southern India, Sri Lanka.

Heat tolerance: Blooms at sea level.