Spherical-White Pleurothallis
(Pleurothallis niveoglobula)

Secret Garden, Cloud Forest

Among the thousands of species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), some of the most fascinating are those that trade showy size for intricate, microscopic beauty. One standout example is Pleurothallis niveoglobula, commonly known as the spherical-white pleurothallis.

Pleurothallis niveoglobula is native to the Andean cloud forests of Ecuador, thriving at moist elevations around 1,000 meters in the Pastaza province. Taxonomically, this species belongs to the genus Pleurothallis, a massive group with around 600 species, and famous for its diverse miniature epiphytes (plants that grow on trees). This genus is also characterised by its lack of pseudobulbs, the swollen, above-ground modified stem structures found in many other orchids like Cattleya, Oncidium etc., that serves as a vital storage organ for water and nutrients. P. niveoglobula was first formally described in 1975 by Dr. Carlyle Luer, a renowned orchidologist. While some taxonomists proposed moving it to Ancipitia, another genus in the subtribe of Pleurothallidinae (comprising of Pleurothallis, Masdevallia, Dracula, Lepanthes, Stelis etc.) in 2004, it remains widely recognised under Pleurothallis in botanical literature.

Pleurothallis niveoglobula is a miniature orchid that forms dense, tufted clumps, with the height of the whole plant ranging from 15 cm to 25 cm. Its thick, leathery, heart-shaped leaf is borne by a slender ramicaul, a thin, stem-like structure, which is also a trait shared in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae.

The defining feature of this species is its extraordinarily tiny flowers. The specific epithet niveoglobula translates directly from Latin as "snowy little sphere" (niveus meaning snow-white and globulus meaning small ball), an accurate description of its snowball-like flowers. Measuring barely 2 millimetres across, it is one of the smallest flowers in this genus, while the gigantic flowers of P. gargantua can reach up to 6-8 cm across!

Each flower is smooth and pure white. The outer sepals form a deeply cupped, spherical shape that cradles a simple oval lip inside, giving both unopened and opened blooms a rounded, pearl-like appearance. P. niveoglobula can flower year-round in the optimal condition in our conservatory. Its pollinators are undocumented and unknown; however, according to the scientific literature, many Pleurothallis species with small flowers don't attract bees or butterflies, instead relying on tiny fungus gnats or flies for pollination.  

In addition, instead of sending up long flower stalks (inflorescences), P. niveoglobula produces its tiny flowers sequentially from a small sheath right at the leaf base - yet another common characteristic in the genus Pleurothallis. To the naked eye, it looks as though the glistening white pearls are sitting directly in the centre of a glossy green leaf!

Come to Cloud Forest and check out this tiny orchid flower in our Miniature Orchid Display at Secret Garden, on your way to the exit! In addition to the spherical-white pleurothallis, we also showcase several other miniature orchid species with tiny and enchanting blooms. These orchids are part of our global collection and are being rotated into the display whenever they flower. Come often to see what’s blooming now in our expansive miniature orchid collection!

This article is part of our What's Blooming series.