Maxillaria patens Schltr. 1920 sect. Arachnites Christenson 2013 Drawing by © Padre Pedro Ortiz

Common Name The Wide Open Maxillaria

Flower Size 6.4" [16 cm]

Found in Cauca department of Colombia and Ecuador at unspecified locations as a medium sized epiphyte with a short rhizome giving rise to compressed, narrowly oblong pseudobulbs enveloped basally by a few leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying a single apical, erect to suberect, ligulate, apiculate, narrowing below into the canaliculate, petiolate base leaf that blooms on a basal, to 7" [17.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence enveloped completely by imbricate, tubular, acuminate bracts.

Schlechter states that it is an apparently, a rather stately species, which is best accommodated next to M fracrtiflexa, but differs specifically in the lip.

The drawing by Padre Pedro Ortiz has been identified as M patens by Dr Eric Christenson but I do not have any other references.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , *Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 7: 170 Schlechter 1920

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