Sudamerlycaste longipetala (Ruiz & Pav.) Archila 2002 SECTION Fimbriatae

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Common Name The Long-Petal Sudamerlycaste

Flower Size to 7" [to 17.5 cm]

A large sized, variable, cold to warm growing species that is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela as an epiphyte, terrestrial or lithophyte on steep embankments in partial sun at elevations of 1000 to 3000 meters with large, broadly cylindrical or oblong-ovoid, compressed, sulcate or rugose with age pseudobulbs enveloped basally by a foliaceous sheath carrying 2 to 3 apical, plicate, deciduous, long petiolate, oblong-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate leaves that bloom in the fall and spring although it can be variable on a basal, erect, usually few at once, to 12" [30 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb and subtended by a few, large, loose, tubular sheathing bracts and with the nodding, waxy, fragrant flowers held among the leaves.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Studies in American orchids VI Canadian Journal of Botany 34(2):241-260 Garay 1962;

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