This is a warm growing miniature epiphyte from Ecuador found at elevations of 200 to 500 m. It is a small orchid, the fan measures about 7 cm across and the flowers are only about 0,7 cm a piece. But what she lacks in size she makes up for in abundance. It was quite exciting to follow the development this season, with more flower spikes appearing pretty much daily, eventually producing 11 spikes all together. Impressive!
I have not been able to find much info on this species, but the genus is pretty large (50 species) and grows accross tropical America. The name (or-NITH-o-SEF-a-lus) actually stem from paleontology. Naming an animal (a flying dinosaur) thought to be intermediate between a mammal and a bird, Ornithocephalus basically mean “bird head.” I grow mine mounted in the warm vivarium under medium light. Evidently this is the right way to grow this little gem.
However… looking at the closeup of the flowers and comparing it to other photos I have seen of this species (t.ex. IOSPE), I am pretty sure this is not really a manabina. The flowers on my plant are much more, hmmm… expressive, and quite beautiful I might add. Mine comes from a reputable grower, Orchids & More, and it was labelled Ornithocephalus manabina. It could of course have been mislabeled, unfortunately this is not uncommon in orchid cultivation.
How beautiful! I may have to give this one a try in my large terrarium…
I wanted to tell you that I’ve really been enjoying your blog. I think I came across it while researching vivariums. I’m particularly interested in your deflasking method and updates these dates, since Ecuagenera is coming to an orchid show near me soon — I really want to try a Masdevallia flask or two, but am not sure I’ll have everything figured out for this year. How are yours doing these days?
Thanks again for all the gorgeous photos and great information! I love your creative construction projects, too.
Thank you very much! It is very nice to hear that you like my blog and find some useful information here! It is nice to share. And the manabina of course… I think it is incredibly beautiful myself. I definitely recommend it to anyone with a vivarium! I would like more of this genus for mine. I have more construction projects planned too (a cool vivarium)… more on that later.
How lucky you are to have Ecuagenera come to your local show! I think we are going to be just as lucky for the Gothenburg International Orchid Show in September and I have already started a shopping list – it will be a long one! They have so many interesting plants. You should definitely try their flasks. My flasks that I bought from them in 2008 are doing really well, mostly. I lost all of the Masdevallia decumana to mold… but both M. infracta and Dracula cordobae are doing well. I will try and get some nice photos and write an update on them this week if I have time.
Stay tuned and take care! 🙂
i searched for ‘Ornithocephalus’ on the web and came across your posts..
have just looked through the pics on IOSPE, and to my eye this one most closely resembles O.dolabratus.
Thanks R! 🙂 I have had others guess on O dolabratus too, it very well might be. Hard to know, this genus seem to be very little clarity.