Dichaea possibly histricina, 'in situ'

This plant grows in the sierra palm forest. This forest is dominated by a type of palm, in the forest I took this photo there are an estimated three million palms. This orchid can be difficult to locate but generally is common where climatic conditions are favorable to its growth. Nobody knows how the flowers are pollinated as the normal pollinator of Dichaea are euglossine bees and they are absent from the Caribbean (although they have been found in amber). As you can see the plants produce significant capsule numbers. I have also included a photo of a relatively recent landslide, see Pleurothallis ruscifolia for more details on the forest.

 

If the conditions are good for them they will grow on the palms, the hardwood and even in the inside of bamboo groves, a place where little else can grow or survive. The sierra palms are not too tall, the tallest ones probably reach close to 60 feet.

 

The plant is small. I would guess the longest growths are ten to twelve inches long. The leafy stems are about half and inch wide, maybe a little less than that.