Palmorchis liberolabellata Damian 2018

TYPE Drawing by © A Damian

Full Shade Hot

Common Name The Free Lip Palmorchis

Flower Size .48" [1.2 cm]

Found in Cusco department of Peru in disturbed hilly forest in the understory of bamboodominated lowlands at elevations around 400 meters as medium sized, hot growing terrestrial with erect, terete, canelike stems carrying 5, towards the apex, s broadly elliptic, plicate, with 5 prominent veins on the underside, not articulated to the sheath, oblong-elliptic, acuminate at the apex, cuneate below intothe petiolate base leaves that blooms on an axillary, Peduncle .32 to .4” [.8 to 1 cm] long, with 2 ovate bracts close to the base, 1.2 to 2.4” [3 to 6 cm] long, congested, successively 2, many flowered inflorescence with shorter than the ovary, ovate, acute, glabrous floral bracts and carrying yellowish green flowers

"Among the Palmorchis species with lateral inflorescences and bilobulate midlobe lips, P. liberolabellata is easily distinguished by its combination of glabrous floral bracts and lip, the latter also free from the column and bearing 5 thickened keels on the disk . Although Palmorchis prospectorum Veyret might be the closest relative to P. liberolabellata, it differs notably in its larger flowers and 3-veined thickened lip densely pubescent that is united to the column almost to its middle length. In addition, P. prospectorum is endemic to French Guiana and Surinam, where it grows as terrestrial herb in swamp forest, while P. liberolabellata has been reported from southeastern Peru, in the lowlands of Cusco, growing in a disturbed ‘pacal’ forest dominated by the bamboo Guadua sarcocarpa (Poaceae). Palmorchis deceptoria Veyret & Szlach. and P. powellii (Ames) C.Schweinf. & Correll also possess the main features of the informal group of Palmorchis species described above. However, both can be distinguished from P. liberolabellata by the densely pubescent subtrilobed lip with not well-defined lateral lobes. The disc of the lip of P. powellii is similar to the one found on P. liberolabellata, bearing 5 long thickened veins. However, on P. powellii the middle vein extends to the apex of the midlobe, while in P. liberolabellata the main veins are only thickened close to the middle of the lamina, and none reach the midlobe. On the other hand, P. deceptoria presents 3 long thickened veins that are congested along the midvein, while P. powellii and P. liberolabellata bear 5 spreading thickened veins. Palmorchis deceptoria is believed to be endemic to Colombia, where it has been recorded near the Caunapi River, probably in swamp forest, while P. powellii is native to Mesoamerica (Costa Rica, Panama), where it grows in damp places with dense shade." Damain and Torres 2018

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Lankesteriana 18: 193 - 206 Damain & Torres 2018 drawing/photo fide

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