Pleurothallis cauda-hirundinis Luer & J.Portilla 2002 SUBGENUS Pleurothallis SECTION Macrophyllae-Fasciclatae Lindl. 1859
Photo by © Alexander Hirtz
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
LATE 
Common Name or Meaning The Swallow Tail Pleurothallis [refers to the lip]
Flower Size
Found in Nariño department of Colombia and Carchi province of Ecuador at elevations around 1000 to 1300 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped by a close tubular sheath above the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaeceous, ovate, acute, cuneate below intothe sessile base leaf that blooms in the late summer and early fall on a short, arising through a prostrate spathe, peduncle.12 to .2" [3 to 5 mm] long, fascile of successively single, few flowered inflorescence with as long as to shorter than the pedicel floral bract.
Similar to P cauda-phocae but P cauda-hirundinis differs markedly in some repects. Characterized by ovatem acute leaves abd slender ramicauls The solitry flowers are short pedicellate and borne in a fascile at the base of the leaf. The dorsal sepal and synsepal aree concave and acuminate, the petals are large and falcate with a lower marginal angle, the lip bears a minute, two-pronded callus while triangular lateral lobes curve upward to surround the cylindrical, essentially footless column." Luer 2002
Synonyms Acronia cauda-hirundinis (Luer & J.Portilla) Luer 2005
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIV A First Century of New Species of Stelis of Ecuador Part 1 Luer 2002 Drawing fide;
Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Luer 2003 photo fide; Orquideologia Vol 24 #1 2005 drawing/photo fide;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVII Luer 2005 as Acronia cauda-hirundinis
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