This stout, small to medium sized, epiphytic and occasional lithophytic species is found in El Salvador and Mexico at elevations of 300 to 1600 meters in tropical and lower mountain rain forests on exposed rocks, or on trees in areas of extreme heat and cold and it grows warm to cool with elongate, cylindric-fusiform, lightly compressed pseudobulbs carrying 2, apical, coiaceous, fleshy, elliptic to oblong lanceolate leaves with a rounded, retuse apex that flowers from late winter through spring on a terminal, 6 1/2" [16 cm] long, few to many [2 to 11] flowered, umbelliform inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb. This plant's flowers are the smallest in the genus and northern populations can self-pollinate which causes the flowers to not open fully. This species and C. skinneri naturally hybrid to create C. guatemalensis.
