Name: Platystele aurea Garay

Synonyms: Pleurothallis rubella, Rubellia rubella, Rubellia aurea.

Etymology: aurea means “golden” and refers to the golden-yellow color of the flowers.

First description: Leslie A. Garay described the species in 1973.

Origin / Habitat: Panama, Colombia, and eastern Ecuador, in humid tropical montane forests at elevations of about 700–1400 m. It grows epiphytically, forming small clumps in moist, shady to partially shaded places.

Description & Notes: A miniature orchid with very fine stems and single flowers of about 3 mm that appear one after another. We grow it in shade to partial shade, with high humidity and good air circulation. We cultivate it in warm to intermediate conditions, at about 18–26 °C.