Lepanthes gerardensis M.A.Blanco 2003 SUBGENUS Lepanthes SECTION Lepanthes SUBSECTION Lepanthes SERIES Lepanthes
Photo by © Daniel Jimenenz
Photo courtesy of Franco Pupulin.©
TYPE Drawing by Blanco & Arias © and Lankesteriana 8: 19. 2003 and The Epidendra Website
Common Name The San Gerard Lepanthes [A Valley nera Monteverda where the species was found]
Flower Size .2" [5 mm]
Found in Costa Rica in premontane rain forest to cloud forest and disturbed primary forests often on thin guava twigs with no lichen or moss at elevations of 1000 to 1500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with suberect, stout ramicauls enveloped by 3 to 4 lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, elliptic, minutely tridenticulate apically, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate, petiolate base leaf that blooms in the winter on a very short, successively single, few flowered inflorescence.
"Recognized by the short habit [Less than .8" [2 cm] tall, widely elliptic leaves, relatively large flowers and petals witha small lower lobe and a red upper lobe. Its flowers are most similar to L ancylopetala but that species has a concave dorsal sepal and a smaller lip with pilose blades, a taller palnt with narrowly elliptic leaves. Vegetatively L gerardensis resembles L papillipetala
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; CHECKED Type OK; * Lankesteriana 8: 19. Blanco 2003 drawing fide; Vanishing Beauty; Native Costa Rican Orchids Vol 2 Lacaena to Pteroglossa Pupulin 2020 photo fide;
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