Lepanthes macrotica Luer & Dalström 1996 GENUS Lepanthes SUBGENUS Brachycladium SECTION Amplectentes Luer 1994
Photo by © Ramiro Medina
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
LATE
EARLY 
Common Name or Meaning The Big Earred Lepanthes [refers to the large lobed lip]
Flower Size .35" [8mm]
Found in Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations around 1600 to 2000 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with pendant, long repent, occasionally branching rhizomes giving rise to abbreviated ramicauls concealed by a long-spiculate lepanthiform sheath and carrying a single, apical, descending, coriaceous, glabrous, entire, broadly elliptical-ovate, obtuse apically, 3 veined, contracted below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the late winter and early spring on an ascending, slender, .04" [1 mm] long, single flowered inflorescence with a spiculate floral bract.
"Similar vegetatively to others in the SUBGENUS Brachycladium but is distinguished by the small, smooth, ovate leaves with the rhizome and ramicauls enveloped by spiculate sheaths . The flower is larger than the leaf besides which it is borne by a very short peduncle.The sepals are ovate, obtuse and glabrous, the minute, oblong petals are 4 times larger than the microscopic petals of L microscopica and the lip is prominently 3 lobed with the broad lobes large, rounded and erect behind the column." Luer & Dalstrom 1996
Synonyms Andinia macrotica (Luer & Dalström) Karremans & S.V.Uribe 2017; Neooreophilus macroticus (Luer & Dalström) Archila 2009; Oreophilus macroticus (Luer & Dalström) Luer 2009; Penducella macrotica (Luer & Dalström) Luer 2010
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XIV Systematics of Draconanthes, Lepanthes subgenus Marsipanthes and subgenus Lepanthes of Ecuador Luer 1996 drawing fide;
Selbyana 29(2): 203. Archila 2009 as Oreophila lupula;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXX Lepanthes of Jamaica Systematics of Stelis of Ecuador 4 Luer 2009 as Oreophilus macroticus;
Orchid Digest 74(2): 69. Luer 2010 as Penducella macrotica;
Flora of Ecuador No 88 Lepanthes and affiliates Dodson & Luer 2011 as Penducella macrotica drawing fide;
Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels Vol 1 Karremans & Viera 2020 as Andinia macrotica photo fide
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