Habenaria oerstedii Rchb.f. 1855

Drawing by © Fritz Hamer

Part Sun Cool Winter

Common Name Oersted's Habenaria [Danish Botanist and Collector in Central America 1800's]

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in Nicaragua in moist montane forests at elevations around 1300 meters as a medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with an erect stem carrying well spaced, oblanceolate, acute, smaller towards the apex leaves that grade into bracts above that blooms in the winter on a terminal, erect, racemose, densely many flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts.

This species has flowers similar to H hexaptera

The shape of the petals and the truncate or three toothed lip distinguish this species. The spur is shorter than the lip.

Synonyms Habenella oerstedii (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap. 2006; Platantheroides oerstedii (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2004

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Bonplandia (Hannover) 3: 213 Rchb.f 1855

Studies in the Family Orchidaceae Vol 4 Ames 1910;

Icones Plantarum Tropicarum Plate 768 Hamer 1982 drawing fide;

Selbyana Vol 10 Orchids of Central America Hamer 1988 drawing fide;

Richardiana 4: 107 Szlach 2004 as Platantheroides oerstedii

Richardiana 6: 37 Szlach and Kras-Lap 2006 as Habenella oerstedii

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