Lepanthopsis moniliformis Dod 1977 SUBGENUS Lepanthopsis SECTION Lepanthopsis

TYPE Drawing by © Donald Dod

Common Name The Necklace Like Lepanthopsis [refers to the ramicaul and its lepanthiform sheaths]

Flower Size .16" [4 mm]

Found in the Dominican Republic at elevations of 1200 to 1700 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 8 to 12 lepanthiform sheaths with long ciliate, markedly dilated ostia and carrying a single, apical, erect, margins minutely denticulate, elliptical, subacute to obtuse, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall, winter and spring and on an erect, capillary, .4 to .6" [1 to 1.5 cm] long peduncle, from near the apex of the ramicaul, rachis to 1.2" [to 3 cm] long, in 2 opposing ranks, congested, distichous, strict, simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying purple, glabrous flowers.

"This species is similar to Lepanthopsis dodii but L moniliformis differs in the numerous, dark, sheaths af the ramicaul with markedly dilated and ciliate ostia, In common with several other species, the leaves are minutely, cellular-denticulate on the margins. The flowers are dark purple instead of yellow and the petals are obtuse instead of acute and the apex of the lip is rounded." Luer 2000

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Moscosoa 1: 2:47 Dod 1978 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum VIII Systematics of Lepanthospsis, Octomeria subgenus Pleurothallopsis, Restrepiella, Salpistele and Teagueia Luer 1991 drawing/photo fide;

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