Cranichis elliptica Schltr. 1921 Engelii group 4
Drawing by © Dodson
TYPE Drawing by © Schlechter
Common Name or Meaning The Elliptic Cranichis
Flower Size .28" [7 mm]
Found in Pichincha province of Ecuador in subandean forests at elevations around 2500 to 3150 meters as a medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with 1 or 2, basal, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, acute to abruptly acuminate, basally more or less round into the channeled, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the summer through fall on a terminal, erect, peduncle remotely several sheathed, glabrous below, slightly pubescent above, to 14.8" [to 37 cm] long, rachis to 5.2" [to 13 cm] long, densely glandular pubescent, cylindrical, densely many flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying pale brownish to deep chestnut colored flowers with a white lip that has brownish green to deep brown, almost black, reticulate venation.
Distinguished by the non-foliaceous peduncle, the green leaves, the ciliate margins of the petals, the glandular-pubescent ovary, and the auriculate base of the column.
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 8: 43 Schlechter 1921
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 47: 76 1929 drawing fide;
Flora Brasilica Vol XII II 13-43: 128 Hoehne 1945;
Flora of Ecuador No 9 225[1] Garay 1978;
Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 1 Dodson & Escobar 1993 drawing fide
Flora Of Ecuador # 76 225[2] Dodson & Luer 2005;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
