Gomphichis valida Rchb.f. 1878
Photos in situ Loja 2800 meters by © Jay Pfahl
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Photo by © Ecuagenera and their Ecuador Orchid Website
Drawing by © Bobbi Angell and Plant Syst Evol 301: 61. Nowak, S., Szlachetko, D.L., Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. et al. 2015
Common Name The Strong Gomphichis
Flower Size
Found in Nariño and Putumayo departments of Colombia, Loja province of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia at elevations of 1900 to 4800 meters as a large sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with basal, rather coriaceous, 3 to 5, lanceolate-elliptic, acute to obtuse, tapering towards a vaginate base leaves that blooms in the winter on a terminal, erect, peduncle to 24" [60 cm] long, provided with several sheathing bracts, rachis 4" [10 cm] long, cylindrical, many flowered inflorescence with oblong-elliptic, acute, villose, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying rather large, externally hirsute, often fragrant flowers.
" Characterized by the obscurely 3 lobed lip with the middle lobe much larger than the lateral lobes and the densely pubescent sepals. The most similar species is Gomphichis goodyeroides but it has glabrous sepals." Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019
Synonyms Stenoptera valida (Rchb.f.) Schltr. 1914
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Xenia Orchidaceae Vol 3: 20 Reichenbach 1878;
Die Orchideen: 109 Schlechter 1915 as Stenoptera valida;
Die Orchideen Schlechter 1927 as Stenoptera valida;
Flora of Ecuador No 9 225[1] Garay 1978;
Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 2 Dodson 2001 drawing fide;
Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide;
Plant Syst Evol 301: 61. Nowak, S., Szlachetko, D.L., Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. et al. 2015;
Orquideas Tesoro de Colombia: 343 #19 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 fide photo fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 76 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 77 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 drawing fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 77 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 drawings fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 421 # 24-25-26 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 photos fide
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