Erycina pusilla

A charming miniature orchid, Erycina pusilla flourishes in the warmth of tropical environments. This petite epiphyte calls the trees and shrubs of pastures, coffee farms, and steamy forests home, growing at elevations between 500 and 950 meters. Its distinctive, fan-like form is composed of numerous, flattened, lance-shaped leaves with pointed tips, giving it a slightly fleshy appearance. Delicate blooms can appear throughout the year on short, 2 cm long stems that emerge from the leaf axils, each stem bearing a single flower. The small, pointed bracts surrounding the flower are shorter than the flower's ovary, and the entire flowering stem is no longer than the leaves themselves. Erycina pusilla's diminutive size and preference for humid conditions make it an ideal choice for terrarium cultivation.