Name: Stelis oscargrouchii Karremans
Etymology: oscargrouchii = named after Oscar the Grouch, a character from the well-known children’s television series Sesame Street; the name humorously references the flowers’ olive-green, hairy, and eccentric appearance.
First described: In 2015 by Adam P. Karremans.
Origin / Distribution: Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Location / Habitat: Grows epiphytically in cool, humid montane cloud forests of the Cordillera de Talamanca at elevations of approximately 2,000 to 2,600 meters. After flask removal, it requires cool to moderately warm conditions, shady to partially shaded light (no direct sun), consistently high humidity of 75–85%, and continuous, gentle air circulation.
Description & Notes: Stelis oscargrouchii is an extraordinary and extremely rare miniature orchid from the group of species formerly classified as Dracontia. Its most notable feature is its fleshy flowers, densely covered in fine hairs and ranging in color from olive green to brownish violet, which appear sequentially on slender flower spikes. The combination of compact, leathery leaves and distinctive, densely hairy flowers makes this species a sought-after rarity among specialist collectors. Open pollination (OP / open pollinated) is expected to produce vigorous seedlings of this botanical curiosity. Ideal for cultivation in cool terrariums, rainforest vitrines, or bottle gardens.

In vitro culture: You will receive a flask containing 4 young plants. The plants are generally already large enough to be removed from the flask. After opening, remove the culture medium from the very fine roots especially carefully using lukewarm water, and place the young plants on moist sphagnum or in a very fine, airy substrate that retains a little moisture. For the first few weeks, we recommend very high humidity, cool to intermediate conditions, sheltered light, and gentle, continuous air movement. Keep consistently slightly moist and avoid allowing it to dry out completely.