Restrepia antennifera, the antennae-carrying restrepia, is an epiphytic, miniature species of orchid found at higher altitudes in cool, moist montane forests in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.[1] [2]
These tiny orchids lack pseudobulbs. The erect, thick, leathery leaf is elliptic-ovate in shape. The aerial roots seem like fine hairs.
The attractive flowers are 5 - 6 cm long. They develop one at a time at the base of the leaf. They are borne on a slender peduncle, originating from the base of the back of the leaf. The long dorsal sepal is erect, triangular at the base and ends in a somewhat thicker club-shaped tip (= clavate). They have fused lateral sepals (synsepals) which may be quite colorful: yellow, orange or tan with contrasting maroon lengthwise stripes.[3] The long, slender, lateral petals equally end in a thickened club-shaped tip. The long lip is ovoid and widest at its apex. It shows a reddish lengthwise stripe. In rare cases, the synsepals may split, resulting in two separate sepals. The column has four pollinia.
Restrepia antennifera is well-known to orchid growers, although many other Restrepias are misidentified as "antennifera". The flower blooms for 1 to 2 weeks. They flower again and again in sequential order from the same growth.