Teagueia rex (Luer & R. Escobar) Luer 2007
Photo by © Jay Pfahl
Photo by Lisa Thoerle
TYPE Drawing of Platystele rex by Carl Luer
Common Name The Kingly Teagueia [Refers to the large size of the flower compared to other Platystele, a genus where this species originally resided]
Flower Size .4" x 1.5" [1 cm x 3.75 cm]
Found in Putumayo intendencia of Colombia at elevations around 2200 meters in cloud forests as a miniature to small sized, cold growing epiphyte with an ascending, erect, slender ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3, imbricating sheaths and carries a single, apical, thinly coriaceous, erect, elliptical, acute, acuminate leaf with the base acuminate into the petiole. This species blooms in the spring and summer on an erect, subdense, distichous, 4 2/5" [11 cm] long including the 1.6 to 2" [4 to 5 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously several flowered, racemose inflorescence arising from near the middle of the ramicaul and having a thin, shorter than the ovary floral bracts.
"Characterized by the robust, repent habit, the large, thin, petioalate leaves tapered at either end, and a congested, distichous raceme of simultaneous, large, bright rose flowers suggesting a giant Lepanthopsis. The sepoals are long-attenuate and the round lip, deeply excavae at the apex, embraces the column with basal lobes." Luer 1990
Often found in small caves on cliff banks along streams where the flowers and plants are much bigger than when exposed on a tree in more sun.
Synonyms *Platystele rex Luer & Escobar 1982
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
*Orquideologia Vol 15 #2-3 1982 as Platystele rex drawing fide;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol VII Systematics of Platystele Luer 1990 as Platystele rex drawing fide;
Native Colombian Orchids Vol 3 COS 1991 as Platystele rex photo fide;
Natve Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 photo fide;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
