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Pleurothallis
Also called Bonnet Orchid
Pleurothallis is a large genus of small to tiny epiphytic or terrestrial orchids from the New World, widely grown as collectors' plants. Commonly grown members are often compact, cloud-forest species that need humid, cool-to-intermediate conditions with steady moisture and good air movement.
Pleurothallis is a genus of orchids commonly called bonnet orchids. The genus name is derived from the Greek word pleurothallos, meaning "riblike branches". This refers to the rib-like stems of many species. The genus is often abbreviated as "Pths" in horticultural trade.
This was a huge genus, which contained more than 1,200 species - the second largest in the Orchidaceae after Bulbophyllum. In 2004, it decreased by more than half when many species were moved into new genera.
Pleurothallis is a completely New World group, widespread across much of Mexico, Central America, South America and the West Indies. Flora of North America lists one species in Florida (P. gelida) but this has now been transferred to a different genus, Stelis. The center of diversity of the genus is in the high Andes, especially in the chain of cloud forests in Colombia. Pleurothallis grows in dry or wet, tropical or temperate climates.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pleurothallis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
