Encyclia dichroma (Two-Coloured Encyclia)

Native to northeastern Brazil, this orchid grows on trees or on the ground in tropical vegetation. Its swollen pseudobulbs store water and support the leaves and flowering stems. Open sprays carry pink flowers whose lips are more deeply coloured than the surrounding segments. The name dichroma refers to this two-coloured appearance. Cultivated plants can flower throughout the year, with a peak in late summer and early fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Photographed in Florida.