Name: Lepanthes fimbriata Ames
Etymology: fimbriata = fringed — refers to the characteristically fringed margins of the floral parts (especially the sepals).

First described: 1923 by Oakes Ames in Schedulae Orchidianae (3: 11).
Origin / Distribution: Costa Rica and Panama.
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic, growing in moist montane cloud and cloud forests at elevations of approximately 1,200 to 2,200 meters. It inhabits deeply shaded, permanently humid areas in moss-rich undergrowth.
Description & Notes: Lepanthes fimbriata is a delicate miniature orchid with upright, slender shoots enveloped by the genus-typical lepanthiform sheaths. Each shoot bears a single, upright, leathery leaf that is ovate-elliptical in shape. The fine, successively blooming inflorescence usually develops on the back of the leaf and produces delicate flowers one after another. The characteristic feature giving it its name is the finely fringed or ciliate margins of the sepals, which give the tiny flowers a fascinating, delicate structure under a magnifying glass.

In cultivation, this species requires intermediate to cool-temperate conditions with a noticeable drop in temperature at night. As it has no storage organs, the substrate must never dry out completely. It is best grown mounted on cork with a permanently slightly moist base of sphagnum moss, or in tiny net pots at a constantly high humidity of over 80% and with continuous, gentle air movement.