Name: Lepanthes niesseniae Luer
Synonyms:
Etymology: Named in honor of Andrea Niessen, a renowned Colombian orchid grower and co-founder of Orquídeas del Valle.
First described: In 2003 by Carlyle August Luer in “Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden.”
Origin / Distribution: Colombia (endemic to the Valle del Cauca region).
Location / Habitat: Grows epiphytically in cool, mist-shrouded mountain forests (cloud forests) at elevations of approximately 1,600 to 2,000 m. It prefers extremely shady, moist locations with almost constant humidity.
Description & Notes: Lepanthes niesseniae is a delicate miniature orchid with upright, slender ramicauls (leaf stems), which are enclosed by the genus’s characteristic funnel-shaped, lepanthiform sheaths. The single leaf is ovate and often flushed with purple. The flowers emerge successively on a slender inflorescence behind the leaf. The flower structure is highly complex: the sepals are usually yellowish-orange, while the petals and tiny lip are often in contrasting shades of red or violet.

This species is considered demanding to grow. It requires cool temperatures and very high humidity (over 80%). A location with low light and constant air movement is ideal. Since the plant has no pseudobulbs, it must never be allowed to dry out; the growing medium (usually fine sphagnum moss or mounted on tree fern root) must be kept evenly moist at all times. Low-conductivity water (rainwater or reverse-osmosis water) is essential for success.