Pleurothallis papulifolia Luer 1999 SUBGENUS Acianthera [Scheidw.] Luer 1986
Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Common Name The Papulose Leaved Pleurothallis
Flower Size .1" [2 mm]
Found in Holguin province of Cuba in open and humid places like the banks of rivulets in gallery forests, charrascales and pine-forests from 100 to 700 meters as a nini-miniature sized, hot to warm growing, densely caespitose epiphtye with erect to ascending ramicauls enveloped completely by 3, infundibuliform, conduplicate, acute sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erct, coriaceous, oblanceolate to obovate to spathulate, rounded to retuse, diffusely papular above, glabrous and carinate below, attenuate intothe petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring, on 1 to 3, arising through an ovate spathe, terminal, ascending, glabrous or with minute warts, 1/4 to 2" [.8 to 5 cm] long, slightly flexuous, successively 2 to 6 flowered inflorescence with infundibular, as long as the ovary floral bracts.
"Characterized by the elliptical, sessile, minutely verrucose leaves and a more or less arching, congested raceme borne beyond the leaf. The pedicel and ovary are contained within the floral bract, bearing the flower against the rachis. The sepals are fleshy and obtuse, the petals are minutely erose and the lip is thick and obtuse with erect marginal lobes beow the middle, a pair of thick, central calli and a minutely bilobulate leaf." Luer 2004
CAUTION!!! Kew includes this species as a synonym of P murex, I have kept it separate for now.
Synonyms Acianthera papulifolia (Luer) Luer 2004
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Lindleyana 14: 116 Luer 1999 drawing fide
Systematics and evolution of the genus Pleurothallis R. Br. (Orchidaceae) in the Greater Antilles Hagen Stenzel 2004 drawing fide;
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 Acianthera papulifolia
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