Kegeliella atropilosa L.O. Williams & A.H. Heller 1964
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
Photo by Michael Götz
Common Name The Black Haired Kegegiella
Flower Size 1 1/2" [3.5 cm]
Text by Michael Götz
Found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama in low montane forests at elevations of 370 to 1200 meters as a miniature sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte, which has shiny, ovoid pseudobulbs about 1.6" [4 cm] in heigth subtended by 2 foliaceous bracts and carrying 2 to 3, ovate, petiolate, acuminate leaves about 7.2" [18 cm] long. The lateral, pendant, pilose inflorescence is 8 to 12" [20 to 30 cm] long carrying up to ten flowers each measuring 1.2 to 1.4" [3 to 3.5 cm]. It is subtended by subequal lanceolate bracts and arises on a newly matured pseudobulb. The flowers last 1 to 2 weeks, are non-resupinate, open simultaneously and, in contrast to K. kupperi, open fully.
Petals and sepals are greenish white with heavy bright red stripes and markings, while the lip is bright yellow and the column green with a yellow tip. This plant grows well and very fast in a hanging pot or basket under hot to cool and humid conditions in shade, where it flowers - at least under artificial light - 3 to 4 times a year. Care must be taken not to give the plant too much light which makes it drop its leaves and good ventilation, otherwise the buds easily rot.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orquideologia Vol 12 No 3/4 1977/8 drawing Icones Planetarum Tropicarum Plate 794 Dodson 1982 drawing fide; Selbyana Vol 10 Orchids of Central America Hamer 1988 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 61 No 7 1992 drwaing/photo fide; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum Plate 1540 Atwood 1993 drawing fide; Guatemala Y Sus Orquideas Behar & Tinschert 1998 photo not = Macradenia brassavolae; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 37/38 pg 2309 - 2436 Brieger 1999 photo fide; Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica Vol 3 Hammel, Grayum, Herrera and Zamora 2003 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 74 No 10 2005 photo fide; Vanishing Beauty, Native Costa Rican Orchids Vol 1 Pupulin 2005 photo fide; Of Mice and Men Part 1 Jenny 2015 drawing/photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #9 2017 photo fide; Orchid Genera and Species in Guatemala Archila, Szlachchetko, Chiron, Lipinska, Mystkowska and Bertolini 2018; Orchids A Colombian Treasure Vol 3 Ortiz & Uribe 2019 photo fide;
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