Name: Lepanthes felis Luer & R.Escobar
Etymology: felis = cat (Latin) — refers to the extraordinary appearance of the flower, whose upper sepals and appendages resemble the face and ears of a cat.
First described: 1983 by American botanist Carlyle A. Luer and Rodrigo Escobar in Phytologia (54: 342).
Origin / Distribution: Colombia
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic, growing in cool, moist montane cloud forests in the Andes at elevations of approximately 1,500 to 2,500 meters. It thrives there on shaded, permanently humid, and moss-covered branches in a cool microclimate.
Description & Notes: Lepanthes felis is a legendary, compactly growing miniature orchid with upright shoots enveloped by the genus-typical, funnel-shaped lepanthiform sheaths. The single, leathery leaf is ovate-elliptical. The delicate inflorescence is shorter or almost as long as the leaf and produces spectacular, intensely colored flowers sequentially. The flower is an absolute botanical work of art: The upper sepal (dorsal sepal) is large, intensely striped red-purple, and ends in two prominent points that resemble cat ears, while the lateral sepals and the lip complete the delicate illusion of a face.

In cultivation, this highland rarity requires consistently cool to at most cool-intermediate conditions with a noticeable drop in temperature at night; sustained summer heat is absolutely not tolerated. Since the plant has no pseudobulbs, the substrate (fine sphagnum moss or fine bark) must be kept evenly moist year-round without allowing waterlogging. It is perfectly suited for cultivation in well-ventilated, cool orchid display cases or special terrariums at a humidity of over 80% and with constant, gentle air circulation.

In vitro culture: You will receive a bottle with 4 young plants. The plants are usually already large enough to be potted. After opening, very carefully remove the nutrient medium from the delicate roots with lukewarm water and place the young plants on moist sphagnum or in a very fine, airy substrate. During the first few weeks, we recommend very high humidity, cool to cool-intermediate temperatures, protected light, and gentle air movement. Keep the young plants constantly slightly moist, never let them dry out completely, and protect them from heat.