Name: Stanhopea ruckeri Lindl.

Synonyms: Stanhopea inodora Lodd. ex Lindl.; Stanhopea ruckeri var. speciosa Lem.

Etymology: The genus name Stanhopea honors Philip Henry Stanhope, 4th Earl Stanhope, a patron of botany. The epithet ruckeri honors the English orchid enthusiast and plant lover Rucker.

First description: The species was described in 1843 by John Lindley.

Origin / Habitat: Mexico to Nicaragua, in moist montane forests. It grows epiphytically and occurs from low to middle elevations; in Chiapas, occurrences have been documented at around 900 m.

Description & Notes: Medium-sized Stanhopea with ribbed, ovate pseudobulbs and a single, elongated-elliptical, folded leaf. The pendulous inflorescences emerge from the base of older pseudobulbs and bear several strongly scented flowers; the flowers reach about 8 cm. We cultivate it in bright to partial shade, with high humidity and good air circulation. During growth, we keep it evenly moist and allow the substrate to dry out only slightly between waterings. We keep it warm, at around 18–28 °C.