Pleurothallis cardiochila L.O. Williams 1942 SUBGENUS Pleurothallis SECTION Macrophyllae-Fasciculatae Lindl 1859
Photo by Karl Senghas
Photo courtesy of Dale and Deni Borders.
Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding.
TYPE Drawing by L O Williams
to 
Common Name The Heart-Shaped Lip Pleurothallis
Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]
Found in Chiriqui department of Panama as well as Alajuela province of Costa Rica at elevations of 950 to 2000 meters as a small sized, warm to cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 tubular sheaths and another below the middle and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, ovate, acute, slightly acuminate, basally sessile and deeply cordate leaf that blooms on an short, arising from a reclining spathe, successively single flowered inflorescence with an almost as long as the pedicel floral bract and is held close to the leaf base.
Similar to P cardiothallis but characterized by the deeply cordate leaf, a multiveined dorsal sepal, entire, three veined petals and an obtuse, broadly ovate lip
CAUTION As there is no type flower on either the holotype or the iosptype it is impossible to be 100% sure of this species actual identity. I have put forth 2 potential possibilities here. I feel that Senghas and Mueller’s orchids are close to Luer’s drawings but even Luer states that there is no way to be sure.
Synonyms Acronia cardiochila (L.O. Williams) Luer 2005; Zosterophyllanthos cardiochilus (L.O.Williams) Szlach. & Kulak 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 29(4): 343, t. 33, f. 8–10. L.O. Williams 1942 drawing fide;
The Orchids of Panama L.O. Williams & P Allen 1946 drawing fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 6 1958;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVII Syatematics of Dryadella Systematics of Macrophyllae-Fasciculatae Luer 2005as Acronia cardiochila
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVII Syatematics of Dryadella Systematics of Macrophyllae-Fasciculatae Luer 2005as Acronia cardiochila drawing good to the first photo ok to the 3rd
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