Habenaria micheliana R.González & Cuevas-Figueroa 2004 publ. 2006

Drawing by © R.González & Cuevas-Figueroa and © The Epidendra Website

Part sun Cold LATESummer EARLY Fall

Common Name Michel's Habenaria [Mexican Orchid Enthusiast current]

Flower Size

Found in Jalisco state of Mexico in mesquite and montane scrub at elevations around 2350 meters as a small sized, cold growing terrestrial with a sub-spherical tuber giving rise to8, cauline, erect below, adpressed above, slightly arcuate, rigid, coriaceous, linear, grading to bracts above leaves that blooms in the late summer and early fall on a terminal, erect, 1.6 to 2.2" [4.5 to 5.5 cm] long, striate, angled, 6 to 10 flowered inflorescence with conduplicate, twisted, lanceolate, acuminate, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying simultaneously opening flowers.

"Habenaria micheliana is related to H lactiflora but is distinguished by the leaves in mostly erect or adpressed, the sepals green in youth, as they grow old they turn to greenish reddish, the lateral lobes of the labellum and the central lobe are equal inlength. Habenaria micheliana and H. carvajaliana both live in the same region, but a careful comparison reveals that H carvajaliana has a longer ovary .84" [21 mm]; the dorsal sepal is greater than half of the ovary, the carina less prominent; the lateral lobes of labellum exceed the central lobe; somewhat thinner, attenuated nectary and the channels of the anther and the arms of the rostellus are slightly descending at the distal end. Habenaria schaffneri can be confused with H michaeliana but it is characterized by plant 8" [20 cm] tall; mostly ovate leaves, ovate-lanceolate above, 1 to 1.48" [2.5 to 3.7 cm] long; the inflorescence in a loose raceme, with six flowers; the floral bract as long as or shorter than the ovary; the broad, elliptical dorsal sepal .4" [10 mm] long, .24" [6 mm] wide; the lanceolate, acute lateral sepals .4" [1 cm] long; the petals bisect the oblong-falcate posterior lobe that is .4" [10 mm] long; the anterior segment is erect, very narrow, slightly larger than the posterior anterior segment; the trilobed labellum; the blade .2" [5 mm] long, the narrow, linear-subfiliform lateral lobes about .44" [11 mm] long; the narrow linguform to linear-oblong middle lobe .28 to .4" [7 to 10 mm] long; the spur free from the bract, dilated towards the apex, .8" [2 cm long], the acuminate, oblong stigmatic processes and the .12" [3 mm] long anther channels." Jorge Roberto González Tamayo y Lizbeth Hernández Hernández 2010

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Ibugana 12(2): 35-37 R.González & Cuevas-Figueroa 2004 drawing fide.

Las Orquideas del Occidente de Mexico Vol 1: 189 Jorge Roberto González Tamayo y Lizbeth Hernández Hernández 2010 drawing fide;

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