Orchid Species: Thecostele alata

ORIGIN: Found from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Borneo, Java, Sumatra and the Philippines in evergreen in semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests and savana-like woodlands at elevations of sea-level to 1800 meters.

DESCRIPTION: Small sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte occurring in lowland and lower montane forests with clustered, ovoid to ellipdsoidal, compressed, unifoliate, deeply sulcate pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, thinly coriaceous, arcuate, linear-lancelate, to elliptic-obovate, acute leaf with a grooved stalk that blooms on a pendant, laxly 20 to 40 flowered, 6 to 20 [15 to 50 cm] long, slender, flexuous, branching inflorescence arising from the base of the mature, often leafless pseudobulb with small, elliptic-lanceolate floral bracts with short lived, yet successively opening so they last for months, flowers occurring in the early spring as new growths appear. The inflorescence lengthen as the flowers open and new ones arise and the process can take 2 to 3 months. The cute, insect-like flowers are slightly scented and are incredibly intricate if viewed with a magnifying glass. Water copiuosly and fertilize often as the new growths arise and grow but as they mature in late summer and early fall it is best to slowly decrease the water and fertilizer until none is given for a month towards the end of the winter. During this time the leaves will yellow and fall, do not worry they are meant to do this but in nature you can often find it with leaves even as it is blooming. I mounted mine in a wood slat basket so the inflorescence can hang over the side.

FLOWER SIZE: 1/2 inch [1.25 cm] -- information provided by Jay Pfahl, author of the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia (IOSPE).

Most awarded/recent cultivars: Tcs. alata 'Magnifico' (1985)