🇵🇭 Habitat and Ecology
Microsaccus wenzelii is a miniature, monopodial epiphytic orchid native and endemic to the Philippines (specifically on the island of Luzon, in the Cordillera and Nueva Ecija mountain ranges). It is found growing on mossy trees in moist montane forests at elevations ranging from 60 to 1,200 metres. This orchid is adapted to a hot-to-cool growing regime with high humidity and consistent moisture, often with a slight seasonal dry period. Its compact size and preference for tree bark make it a classic "twig orchid".
🌸 Description and Distinguishing Features
This orchid is a mini-miniature perennial that maintains a very compact, upright, monopodial (single-stemmed) growth habit, rarely exceeding a few centimetres in size.
Stems & Foliage: The stem is covered with two-ranked, fleshy, small leaves that are often flattened or slightly twisted, giving the plant a neat, almost fan-like appearance.
Flowers: The flowers are remarkably large for the size of the plant, borne singly on very short, inconspicuous spikes that emerge from the leaf axils, typically blooming in winter and spring.
Aesthetics: The blooms are tiny (5−8 mm wide), and usually white with a white spur on the lip. The genus name Microsaccus (meaning 'small sac') refers to this small, saccate spur at the base of the lip.
Ethnobotany: There are no specific ethnobotanical records for this miniature species, but orchids in the Philippines are highly valued as ornamentals.
Differentiation: Microsaccus wenzelii is distinguished from similar species in the genus by its floral structure:
Versus M. griffithii: M. griffithii has a different lip structure and colouration (often yellow/brown), whereas M. wenzelii is noted for its white colour.
Versus M. javensis: M. javensis is a larger plant with wider leaves and a slightly different column foot structure.
💧 Cultivation and Care
Microsaccus wenzelii is an intermediate to warm-growing miniature that requires a stable, high-humidity environment, making it perfect for a terrarium, humid cabinet, or enclosed orchidarium in the UK.
Light: Needs bright, indirect light; while it can tolerate some morning sun, it should be shaded from intense midday sun.
Substrate: Best mounted on a small piece of cork bark or wood with a minimal pad of sphagnum moss at the roots to ensure the rapid drainage and air circulation it needs.
Watering: It must be watered or misted frequently (often daily) to keep the moss moist, but the roots must dry quickly.
Temperature:
Optimal Daytime Temperature: 20−28∘C (68−82∘F).
Optimal Nighttime Temperature: A small drop is beneficial, ideally 16−20∘C (61−68∘F).
Humidity: Very high humidity (70%+) is crucial for this miniature. Feed monthly during the growing season with a highly dilute balanced orchid feed.
✨ Unique Features
This is a highly prized miniature orchid because of its endemic rarity (found only in the Philippines) and the striking contrast between its minute, compact plant size and its surprisingly large, white flowers. Its suitability for mounting and its tiny, neat size make it an exquisite "jewel" for close-up viewing in a specialised collection.
🏷️ Specifications
Plant Size: Recently taken out of the flask and they are already flowering size
Plant Family: Orchidaceae
Plant Passport: A Microsaccus wenzelii B 140084 C [buyer to use number of the plant label] D GB
