Habitat:
Maxillaria schunkeana is native to southeastern Brazil, with confirmed occurrences in the Espírito Santo region. It grows as an epiphyte in lower montane and submontane Atlantic rainforest, typically at elevations between 600 and 850 metres. The plant is found in humid, shaded understory environments, where it clings to moss-covered tree trunks or branches in areas with consistent rainfall, high humidity, and filtered light. The surrounding vegetation is typically dense, and temperatures are moderate due to altitude and forest canopy cover.
Description:
Maxillaria schunkeana is a miniature epiphytic orchid, notable for its nearly black flowers, which are among the darkest in the orchid family. It forms compact clumps of short, conical pseudobulbs, each bearing a single, apical, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate leaf, 7–15 cm long. Inflorescences are solitary-flowered, arising at the base of the pseudobulbs. The flower measures about 2–3 cm across, and is deep maroon to blackish purple, often appearing truly black in low light. Petals and sepals are smooth, fleshy, and slightly spreading. The lip is short, broad, and slightly trilobed, often with a lighter central area or fine striation visible under magnification. It emits little or no fragrance and blooms sporadically throughout the year, most often in warm seasons.
Cultivation:
Grow Maxillaria schunkeana in intermediate to warm temperatures, with daytime highs of 20–28 °C and nighttime lows of 14–18 °C. Provide bright, indirect light, similar to dappled shade in its native rainforest habitat. Maintain high humidity (70–90%) and good airflow. Grow in a fine-grade epiphytic mix of bark, perlite, and sphagnum moss, or mount on cork if high humidity can be maintained. Keep the substrate evenly moist but not soggy; allow slight drying between waterings. It prefers a slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.8–6.5). Feed monthly during active growth with a dilute balanced orchid fertiliser.
Specifications:
Plant Size: Established flowering sized divisions from our stock plant. Each plants has upwards of 5 adult pseudobulbs. 
Plant Family: Orchidaceae
Plant Passport: Maxillaria schunkeana B 140084 C 15007 D GB