A splendidly unusual and beautiful plant with a spindle shape and somewhat succulent undulating leaves. The leaves are a light gray-green and often slightly banded. The inflorescence is a large inflated spike of rose-red with red flowers. Native to Amazonia, it occurs in nearly all bordering countries, growing most commonly in the trees which overhang the myriad waterways.

Despite its humid habit and exposure to frequent rains, it receives the best drainage by clinging to the tiniest twigs. In cultivation it prefers to be watered frequently then dry quickly and thoroughly. Adapts to pot culture in a well-draining media. Rare in cultivation despite its wide range.

A unique species from Cuba where it lives on exposed limestone cliffs near Santiago de Cuba at about 1,000 feet of altitude. Related to capitata, it forms a somewhat bulbous base with stiff, glabrous leaves in a flaring, upright rosette with the leaves recurving sharply in a coil when grown bright or hard. The color varies with light and stage of growth but is green with a slight gray bloom when young and becomes yellowish with maturity, blushing pink in strong light.

At anthesis the inflorescence produces long scape bracts of yellow, ending in pink. The branches are mostly green and the tubular flowers purple-blue. Easy to grow mounted but slow growing and very cold tender.

A neat miniature, stoloniferous, clumping species that matures at less than 6 inches tall. Its gracefully curving, slightly speckled leaves form a bulbous base and a 10 inch flower spike with light red, white tipped bracts. Discovered near Parati in Rio de Janeiro state of Brazil and described in 1980, it is a native of low, wet rainforest where it grows as an epiphyte. An easy to grow yet rare collector item. Superior for terrariums.