Lepanthes pubescens Luer 1983 SUBGENUS Lepanthes SECTION Lepanthes SUBSECTION Lepanthes SERIES Lepanthes
Photo by © Marni Turkel and the Stony Point Ceramic Orchid Photo site
TYPE by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Hairy Lepanthes [refers to the leaves]
Flower Size .2" [5mm]
Found in Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations of 1600 to 2600 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with slender, erect to suberect ramicauls enveloped by 8 to 10 lepanthiform sheaths with dilated ostia and carrying a single, apical, suberect to spreading, softlyly coriaceous, purple reticulate, more or less pubescent, elliptical-ovate, lightly acuminate apically, the cuneate base narrowing below into a petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall, winter and spring on a congested, secund, filiform, to 1.2" " [to 3 cm] long, successively flowered, racemose inflorescence arising on the back side of the leaf.
"Characterized by the relatively soft, purple reticulated leaves that are ususally, but not alwasys pubescent, even on the same plant. The flowers have denticulate, caudate sepals are borne on top of the leaf. The upper lobes of the petals are soemtimes held wi9th the apical margins in apposition. The apices of the oblong blades of the lip more or less recurve." Luer 1996
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; ** Phytologia 54: 366 Luer 1983; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XIV Systematics of Draconanthes, Lepanthes subgenus Marsipanthes and subgenus Lepanthes of Ecuador Luer 1996 drawing fide; Flora of Ecuador No 88 Lepanthes and affiliates Dodson & Luer 2011 drawing fide
Checked Luer OK
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