History
The genus Pleurothallis was established by Robert Brown in 1813. Today it includes approximately 900 species. However, this genus has never been the subject of intense studies, so we can expect a lot of changes. Nowadays, Carlyle Luer works on these mostly small plants which grow in the mountain forests of the South American tropics.
The name derives from the Greek "pleuron = rib" and "thallos = short".
Robert Brown
Cultivation
In spite of their widely spread origins and their diversity, Pleurothallis can be cultivated more or less alike. The mininum temperate during winter should be 12°C-15°C. If summer gets very hot, the humidity should be sufficiently high, especially in the morning and in the evening.
Most species grow well in pots, in loose medium like Orchi-Mix or Chilenean sphagnum moss. Creeping species should be mounted. Pleurothallis do not bear dry air, if you keep them in a dry flat, spray them every morning and every evening.