Lepanthes forcipifera Luer 1995 SUBGENUS Lepanthes SECTION Lepanthes SUBSECTION Lepanthes Luer SERIES Lepanthes

TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer and Epidendra Orchid Webpage

Common Name The Forceps Carrying Lepanthes [refers to the lobes of the lip]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Costa Rica with no locational data as a mini-miniature sized epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by about 5 close fitting, microscopically scabrous, lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, erect, coriaceous, suffused with purple, elliptical, acute, broadly cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms on a filiform, congested, distichous, to .24 to .32" [6 to 8 mm] long, successively few flowered inflorescence arising behind the leaf.

"Characterized by the small habit with elliptical leaves and a much shorter, congersted raceme. The sepals are ovate, acute and minutely denticulate. The petals are narrowly transverse with the upper lobe oblong and the lower lobe triangular. The blades of the lip are oblong but disappearing toward the falcate apex which is curved beneath the column and faorm a narrow body with a small, external appendix." Luer 1995

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Lindleyana 10: 151. 1995 Luer and the Epidendra Website drawing fide; Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica Vol 3 Hammel, Grayum, Herrera and Zamora 2003

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