Lepanthes ursula Luer & R.Escobar 1994 GENUS Lepanthes SUBGENUS Brachycladium SECTION Amplectentes Luer 1994
Photo by David Haelterman and his FLickr Orchisd Photo Website
TYPE Drawing by Luer
Common Name or Meaning The Bear Cub Lepanthes [refers to the wooly leaves and dorsal sepal]
Flower Size .15" [4 mm]
Found in Boyaca department of Colombia in scrub forests at elevations around 2600 meters as a medium sized, cold growing epiphyte with pendent, branching rhizomes giving rise to abbreviated ramicauls concealed by a ciliate lepanthiform sheath and carrying a single, apical, pendent, largest of the genus, coriaceous, densely villous, elliptical, acute to subacute apically, 5 veined, contracted below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a slender, ascending, congested, .02 to .04" [.05 to 1 mm] long, successively few flowered inflorescence with a ciliate floral bract.
"Related to L pilosella but L ursula is distinguished by the villous leaves, the largest in the subgenus. The flowers are also large and long-pubescent externally. A prominent purple band is present above the base of the orbicular, deeply concave, 7 veined, sorsal sepal. The petals are .08" [2 mm] long, but sometimes petals this long are also seen in L pilosella. Although a little larger the lip is not significantly different." Luer 1994
Synonyms Andinia ursula (Luer & R.Escobar) Karremans & S.V.Uribe 2017; Brachycladium ursulum (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2005; Neooreophilus ursulus (Luer & R.Escobar) Archila 2009; Oreophilus ursulus (Luer & R.Escobar) Archila, 2009; Penducella ursula (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2010
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXI Luer 1994 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVII Dryadella and Acronia section Macrophyllae-Fasiculatae Luer 2005 as Brachycladium ursula; Selbyana 29(2): 202-8. 2009 Archila as Oreophilus ursula; Orchid Digest 74(2): 69. 2010 Luer as Penducella ursula; Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels Vol 1: 120 Karremans & Viera 2020 as Andinia ursula photo fide
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