Anacheilium christensonii Harding 2006
Photos courtesy of Patricia Harding
Drawing By © Jane Herbst/Harding
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Common Name or Meaning Christenson's Anacheilium [American Botanist and orchid lover 2012]
Flower Size 1.6" [4 cm]
Found in Ecuador without locational data as a small to medium sized, warm growing, caespitose epiphyte with a stout, woody rhizome giving rise to ellipsoid, compressed, olive green pseudobulbs enveloped basally by thin, tightly clasping, dry sheaths and carrying 2, elliptic-ovate, olive green, acute leaves that blooms in the late summer and early fall on an erect, arising through a sheath, , hidden within the leaves, peduncle 2" [5 cm] long, rachis 2.8" [7 cm] long, 4 to 6 flowered inflorescnece with ovate, acute, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, slightly fragrant flowers.
Differs from Anacheilium aemulum , Anacheilium fragrans and Anacheilium radiatum in the Encyclia like pseudobulbs. Most similar florally to Anacheilium chacaoense but differs in the smaller flowers, proportionally broader sepals, a short-acuminate cordate lip and densely spotted petals with the spots produced in longitudinal lines. Differs from Anacheilium chimborazoense in the shorter rhizome segements betwen the pseudobulbs, shorter inflorescence, the pale off green color ad lack of shine of the foliage and pseudobulbs and a liess pointed lip aped.
Synonyms Prosthechea christensonii (Harding) W.E.Higgins 2009
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
*Bol. CAOB 61: 26 Harding 2006 drawig/photo ;
Selbyana 29: 214 W E Higgins 2009 as Prosthechea christensonii;
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