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.

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

Aerides ringens

Status: Fairly common.
Altitude: Sea level to 2300 m.
Plant habit: Epiphytic with narrow long leaves.
Inflorescence: Raceme with some secondary branching.
Flowers: 0.5 cm across and 1.5 cm in length. Colours vary from pale pink at sea level to deep magenta at higher altitudes.
Flowering: Mar to April at higher altitudes and June to July at lower altitudes.
Endemism: Southern India and Sri Lanka.
Fragrance: No.
Heat tolerance: Blooms at sea level.

Rhytionanthos rheedei

Status: Not common.
Habit: Crawling epiphyte.
Altitude: 800 metres asl.
Inflorescence: Umbel with 2 to 4 flowers.
Flowers: Shoe shaped flowers measuring about 7 mm in length.
Flowering season: June and July.
Fragrance: No.
Heat tolerance: Blooms at lower altitudes.
Hortus Malabaricus name: Tsjerou Tecka Maravara
Endemism: Kerala, Karnataka.