Maxillaria vittariifolia L.O.Williams 1953 sect. Cucullatae Christenson 2013 Photo by © Mulder & Mulder-Roelfsema

Drawing Drawing by © Dalstrom & Atwood

Common Name The Vittaria-Like Leaf Maxillaria [Refers to a type of tape Fern]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Costa Rica in premontane and lower montane primary forests at elevations above 900 meters as a mini-miniature sized, warm to cool growing, densely caespitose epiphyte with orbicular to ovoid pseudobulbs enveloped basally by 1 to 2, leaf bearing sheaths and carrying a single, apical, linear, tapering towards the base leaf that blooms at most any time of the year on single, through each sheath axil, slender, erect, equal to exceeding the leaf to 2.4" [6 cm] long, with 2 to 3 remote, inconspicuous bracts, single flowered inflorescence with longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying white flowers with a bright orange lip apex.

Nearly unique to the genus due to its diminutive size and slender, erect inflorescence longer than the leaves and appears to be a plant from the Pleurothallidiane more than a Maxillaria. Its closest relative is M chicana from Ecuador. but it has reddish flowers and a lip that is twice as long as wide. In contrast M vittarifolia has white flowers with a lip that is wider than it is long.

Synonyms Camaridium vittariifolium (L.O.Williams) M.A.Blanco 2007; Psittacoglossum vittariifolium (L.O.Williams) Szlach. & Sitko 2012

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 29 #5 1960 photo fide; Icones Plantarum Tropicarum Plate 1372 Atwood 1989 drawing fide; Orchids Travel By Air A Pictoral Safari Mulder, Mulder-Roelfsema and Schuiteman 1990 photo fide; Fieldiana Biology, Flora Costa Ricensis Family # 39 Orchidaceae, subtribes Maxillariinae and Oncidiinae Atwood & Mora 1999 drawing fide; Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica Vol 3 Hammel, Grayum, Herrera and Zamora 2003; Maxillaria An Unfinished Monograph Vol 2 Christenson 2013 drawing fide;

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