Name: Lepanthes tipulifera Rchb.f.

Synonyms: Lepanthes insectiflora C.Schweinf.

Etymology: The genus name Lepanthes is derived from the Greek lepis ("scale") and anthos ("flower") and refers to the scale-like flower structures.

First description: The species was described in 1866 by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach as Lepanthes tipulifera.

Origin / Habitat: Costa Rica and Panama, in moist premontane rain and cloud forests as well as disturbed primary forests at approximately 1500–2200 m. It grows as a small epiphyte and prefers cool to cold conditions.

Description & Notes: Small, delicate Lepanthes with slender, upright shoots and single leathery leaves. The very small flowers appear sequentially on densely packed inflorescences. We cultivate it in shaded to bright indirect light, with high humidity, good air circulation, and consistent moisture. We keep it cool to cold.