Maxillaria encyclioides Maranta papery bracts

papery bracts

producing solitary flowers on short scapes from the base of the pseudobulbs

bold purple-banded lateral sepals

while the small hooded dorsal sepal curves forward like a cap and tiny sharp-tipped petals flank the sides — an unmistakably beetle-like silhouette at close range

Maxillaria encyclioides Maranta papery bractsA floriferous epiphyte native to Ecuador, forming dense fans of lanceolate leaves and producing multiple small flowers simultaneously on short scapes. Each bloom features spreading lanceolate sepals and petals with a cucullate dorsal sepal and a small lip with a distinctive dark central mark. Light: Bright indirect light with 4060% shade cloth; avoid direct sun exposure. Temperature: 5878F (1426C); an intermediate warm grower that thrives with stable