Stenorrhynchos vaginatum (Kunth) Spreng. 1826
Inflorescence in situ Mt Pionono Cunidinamarca 3100 meters
Flower detail in situ Mt Pionono Cunidinamarca 3100 meters
Inflorescence and Floral bracts in situ Mt Pionono Cunidinamarca 3100 meters
Photos by © Jay Pfahl
Photos by © Karl Senghas
Original Drawing by © Padre Pedro Ortiz Conserved at the Herbario de la Universidad Javeriana, Bogota Colombia
Drawing by © Dunsterville & Garay
LATER
Common Name The Vagina Shaped Stenorrhynchos [refers to the very short-sheath-like leaves]
Flower Size
Found in Venezuela, Cundinamarca department of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of 2700 to 3100 meters as a miniature to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with basal sessile or inconspicuous sheaths becoming above, short, ovate to elliptic-ovate, subobtuse to acute leaves that blooms in the later summer on an erect, glabrous, 1.4 to 3.4" [3.5 to 8.5 cm] long, densely few flowered inflorescence almost to completely enveloped by several, close, imbricate, elliptic, obtuse to acute, concave-ventricose bracts.
This is a beautiful plant and I have visited it 3 times now, three years apart. It is in an area where many people walk and it is always in the same spot, probably proving that the pllant is evergreen, although I have never seen it out of flower. As you can see in the first photo above, it is very well protected by the very spiny bromiliad that it grows beside. Everybody gives the bromeliad a wide berth, not noticing the tiny pinky-orangish beauty beside it. These photos were taken lying down on the ground as the whole plant was abount 8" [20 cm] long.
Synonyms Gyrostachys vaginata (Kunth) Kuntze 1891; *Neottia vaginata Kunth 1816; Spiranthes vaginata (Kunth) Lindl. ex B.D.Jacks. 1895
References W3 Tropicos , Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 331 Kunth 1816 as Neottia vaginata
* Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 3: 710 Spreng 1826
Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 664 Kuntze 1891 as Gyrostachys vaginata
Index Kew. 2: 967 Lindl. ex B.D.Jacks. 1895 as Spiranthes vaginata
Flora de Venezuela Volumen XV Parte 1 Foldats 1969 as Spiranthes vaginatum drawing good;
Orchids of Venezuela, An Illustrated Field Guide Vol 3 pg 1007 Dunsterville and Garay 1979 as Stenorhynchis lanceolatum not = S vaginatum
Flora of Ecuador No 9 225[1] Garay 1978 drawing fide;
Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 41 pg 2565 - 2625 Brieger 2001 photos fide;
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia: 185 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia: 186 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 Drawing fide
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