Microchilus curviflorus Ormerod 2005

TYPE Drawing by © Paul Ormerod and Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 401 Ormerod 2005

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Common Name The Curved Microchilus [refers to the dried speciems of Flowers which are curved]

Flower Size .08" [2 mm]

Found in Yaracuy state of Venezuela in undisturbed cloud forest, at elevations around 1220 to 1250 meters as a small to just medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with a terete, erect stem carrying 8 to 9, obliquely oblong-lanceolate, acute, dull green above, paler beneath , petiolate base leaves that blooms in the late spring on a terminal, erect, pubescent, 16" [40 cm] long, peduncle 9.4" [23.5 cm] long, provided with 2 to 3 sheathing bracts, rachis 6.6" " [16.5 cm] long, sublaxly many flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, acute, pale green with brown tips, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying externally pubescent, whitish, turning pale buff flowers.

"The relationships of this species are not clear to me. In its smallish flowers and spur shape it is somewhat reminiscent of the Colombian Microchilus pseudominor , but the latter has broader leaves; straight, barely dilated petals; and a narrower hypochile. Dry material of Microchilus curviflorus is distinctive in that the flowers appear slightly curved. In rehydrated flowers, however, this feature is less appar." Ormerod 2005

Synonyms *Kreodanthus curvatus Ormerod 2008

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 402 (2005

Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 401 Ormerod 2005 Drawing fide

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