Pleurothallis minuta Ames & C.Schweinf. 1930 SUBGENUS Specklinia SECTION Hymenodanthae SUBSECTION Longicaulae [Barb. Rodr.] Luer 1986
TYPE Specimen by Ames & Schweinfurth © and The Epidendra Orchid Website
Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Small Pleurothallis
Flower Size .08" [2 mm]
Found in Alajuela province of Costa Rica at elevations around 1100 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 2 ribbed, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical to obovate, obtuse, cuneate below into an ill-defined petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a slender, arising laterally from the ramicaul, filiform, lax, Peduncle .6 to .8" [1.5 to 2 cm] long, rachis .12 to .2" [3 to 5 mm] long, simultaneously 2 to 3 [to 5] flowered inflorescence with minute, infundibular, much shorter than the pedicel floral bracts.
Superficially suggests a small form of P vittariifolia but with disimilar flowers. It is altogether a smaller plant than P simmerliana while it is florally similar to P lanceola." Ames & Schweinfurth 1930
"Distinguished from P lanceola by the very small habit andmuch smaller, dark red flwoers. Instead of 2 or 3, comparitvely large flowers, four or five, tiny red flowers are borne simultaenosuly in a loose raceme. Otherwise the flowers are quite similar to P lanceola." Luer 2006
Synonyms Specklinia minuta (Ames & C. Schweinf.) Luer 2004.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Schedul. Orchid. 10: 30 Ames & Schweinfurth 1930 Collection sheet of type;
Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica Vol 3 Hammel, Grayum, Herrera and Zamora 2003;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVI Pleurothallis subgenus Acianthera and Three Allied subgenera, A Second Century of new Species of Stelis of Ecuador, Epibator, Ophidion and Zootrophion Luer 2004 as Specklinia minuta;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII A Reconsideration of Masdevallia Systematics of Specklinia Luer 2006 as Specklinia minuta
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII A Reconsideration of Masdevallia Systematics of Specklinia Luer 2006 as Specklinia minuta drawing fide
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