Name: Encyclia bracteata (Barb.Rodr.) Schltr. ex Hoehne
Synonyms: Epidendrum bracteatum Barb.Rodr.; Epidendrum pabstii A.D.Hawkes; Epidendrum pusillum Rolfe
Etymology: bracteata = bracteate / with bracts — refers to the conspicuously pronounced, pointed bracts (bracts) on the inflorescence. 

Original description: Originally described in 1877 by João Barbosa Rodrigues as Epidendrum bracteatum; transferred in 1930 by Rudolf Schlechter and Frederico Carlos Hoehne to the genus Encyclia.
Origin / Distribution: Brazil (states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo).
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic, growing on tree trunks in the Atlantic coastal rainforest (Mata Atlântica) at lower elevations of approx. 10 to 500 meters. It thrives there in a warm to hot microclimate with high humidity year-round.
Description & Notes: Encyclia bracteata is one of the most delicate miniature species within the genus Encyclia. It has small, conical to ovate pseudobulbs, which are surrounded at the base by deciduous sheaths. At the end of each pseudobulb, usually a single (rarely two), narrow, almost grass-like, dark green leaf grows. The terminal inflorescence, approx. 15 cm long, is usually racemose and produces 2 to 3 long-lasting flowers one after another, which grow to about 2.5 cm in size. The waxy petals have an olive-green to brownish base color with darker veining, while the three-lobed, conspicuous lip has a beautiful, intense magenta to purple-pink coloration with white edges.

In cultivation, this Brazilian rarity requires warm to warm-intermediate conditions year-round with good air movement. Since it comes from coastal regions, it does not tolerate extreme cold periods. The light requirement is high, but it should be protected from the harsh midday sun (bright, shaded light). Due to its compact size and epiphytic growth, it is perfect for cultivation mounted on cork or in small slat baskets with a very airy, coarse bark mix. During the summer growth period, it must be watered regularly; in winter, a short, brighter, and drier dormant phase follows, during which the substrate may dry out completely between waterings.