!Mexipedium xerophyticum (Soto Arenas, Salazar & Hágsater) V.A. Albert & M.W. Chase 1992 Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Another Plant Photo courtesy of Joseph Dougherty

to

Common Name The Dry-Growing Mexipedium

Flower Size 1/2 to 1"

Found in southern Mexico on limestone outcrops with xerophytic vegetation surrounded by rainforests and warm oak forests at an elevation of 350 meters as a small sized, hot to warm growing lithophyte removed from Phragmipedium on eastern facing slopes that has moderate water in midspring, and heavy water through the summer, then a 3 month dry period from mid winter until spring. This species has conspicuous, erect, scarious sheathed, rhizome with 1.2 to 8" [3 to 20 cm, between each growth consisting of a short stem completely enveloped by a few to several, imbricate, disitchous, linear, carinate, basally conduplicate and clasping leaves blooms on a pubescent, 2 1/2 to 5 1/2" long inflorescence arising from the leaf axils and carries one or 2 short-lived, small flowers occuring in the fall.

Synonyms Paphiopedilum xerophyticum (Soto Arenas, Salazar & Hágsater) V.A.Albert & Börge Pett. 1994; *Phragmipedium xerophyticum Soto Arenas, Salazar & Hágsater 1990

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 5 - 6 Orchids of Mexico Part 2 - 3 Plate 623 Hagsater & Soto 2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------