Name: Lepanthes Ines × sib / self (Lepanthes manabina × Lepanthes calodictyon)
Etymology: Ines = registered grex name, registered in 2017 by Jean-Marc Pallandre with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The name honors an individual (Ines).
Origin / Distribution: Cultivar. The parent species involved (Lepanthes manabina and Lepanthes calodictyon) are native to the humid montane cloud forests of Ecuador and Colombia.
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic. After deflasking, it requires shady to partially shaded conditions (no direct sun), consistently high humidity of 75–85%, and continuous, gentle air circulation at intermediate to warm temperatures.
Description & Notes: Lepanthes Ines is an outstanding primary hybrid that brings together two of the genus's most fascinating species. From Lepanthes calodictyon the hybrid inherits its coveted, net-veined and elegantly undulating foliage, while Lepanthes manabina contributes additional vigor and a free-flowering habit. The seedlings expected from this progeny promise to be compact-growing miniature plants with spectacularly patterned leaves and delicate successive blooms in intense shades of red, orange, and yellow. Open pollination within the grex (OP / open pollinated) may produce appealing sibling variations in leaf patterning. An excellent choice for growing in display cases, terrariums, or bottle gardens.
In vitro culture: You will receive a flask containing 4 young plants. The plants are generally already large enough to be deflasked. After opening, remove the culture medium from the very fine roots with particular care using lukewarm water, and place the young plants on moist sphagnum or in a very fine, airy substrate that retains a little moisture. For the first few weeks, we recommend very high humidity, cool to intermediate conditions, protected light, and gentle, continuous air movement. Keep consistently slightly moist and avoid allowing the plants to dry out completely.