Platystele ortiziana Luer & R.Escobar 1990
Photos by © Andy Phillips and his Andy's Orchid Website
Photo by © Jorge Mario Munera
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name Ortiz' Platystele [Colombian Priest and Orchid Enthusiast RIP 2012]
Flower Size .08" [2 mm]
Found in Colon department of Panama and Choco department of Colombia at elevations around 300 meters as a mini-miniature sized, hot growing epiphyte with erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 thin, ribbed, imbricating sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a very congested, .6" to .8" [1.5 to 2 cm] long including the .4 to .6" [1 to 1.5 cm] long peduncle, umbellate, simultaneously opening, 5 to 15 flowered inflorescence arising laterally above the middle of the ramicaul with loose, imbricating, oblique, half as long as the pedicel floral bracts.
"Similar to Platystele umbellata , P beatricis, and P dasyglossa but the umbellate inflorescence is composed of several, overlapping, minute, simultaneous flowers. The tiny rounded sepals are ciliate and the ovate lip is about 50% larger with revolute sides that impart a violin-shape. The obtuse apex is convex." Luer 1990
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orquideologia Vol 12 No 2/3 1977/8 photo pg 147 fide; * Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol VII Systematics of Platystele Luer 1990 drawing fide to the first photo; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 3 COS 1991 photo fide to the first photo; A Compendium Of Miniature Orchid Species Vol 2 Parsons & Gerritson 2013 photo fide to the second and third photos;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
