Maxillaria nutantiflora Schltr. 1921

Photo by © Franco Pupulin

LATE EARLY

Common Name The Nodding Flower Maxillaria

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Chimborazo province of Ecuador on the wesern slope of the Andean foothills at elevations around 2500 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing epiphyte with a decumbent rhizome with 1.2" [3 cm] between each, oblique and narrowly ovoid, longitudinally sulcate pseudobulb enveloped basally by small, pale brown, minutely rugulose sheaths and carrying a single, apical suberect to erect-patent, oblong-ligulate, acute, narrowing below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the late winter and early spring on 3 to 5, arising on a newly forming pseudobulb, peduncle provided with 5 acuminate, clasping bracts, to 3.8" [9 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence with half as long as the ovary, similar to the peduncle floral bracts and carrying a nutant, glabrous flower.

The nodding flower, with an ear-like extension on the lower third of both sides of the elongate lip easily distinguishes this species.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 8:95 Schlechter 1921; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih.57:377 Schlechter 1929 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 80 #6 2011 pollinia only as Camaridium nutantiflorum photo fide;

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