Aa matthewsii (Rchb.f.) Schltr. 1912 Drawing by Pastorelli, Bennett & Christenson

As Aa lechleriTYPE Drawing as Aa lechleri by Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Another Drawing Drawing by Alcantara Bennett & Christenson and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

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Common Name Matthew's Aa

Flower Size Minute

Found in Peru in very cold, wet cloud forests at elevations around 2600 to 3385 meters as a medium to large sized, cold growing terrestrial with a whorl of basal, narrowly linear, long tapering, acute somewhat stiff leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on a terminal, erect, stiff, long pedunculate, the peduncle to 36" [to 90 cm] long, rachis terete, 3" [7.5 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, far exceeding the flowers floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate flowers that barely open.

This species is set apart by the ovate, 3 lobed lip with denticulate apical margins, the shell shaped, mealy pollina and the non-resupinate flowers with floral bracts that exceed the flowers in length.

Synonyms Aa lechleri Schltr. 1921; *Altensteinia matthewsii Rchb.f. 1878;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Peru Vol 1 Schweinfurth 1958 as Altensteinia marginata; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 201 Bennett & Christenson 1995 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 601 Bennett & Christenson 2001 drawing fide

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