Pleurothallis scalpricaulis Luer 1976 SUBGENUS Acianthera [Scheidw.] Luer 1986
Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common NameThe Cutting Stem Pleurothallis [Refers to the stems winged apex]
Flower Size 2/5" [1 cm]
Found in Bolivia, Peru and Morona-Satiago province of Ecuador in tropical wet forests at elevations around 350 to 950 meters as a small sized, hot to warm growing, shortly repent to caespitose epiphyte with erect to subpendulous, basally terete, apically winged, sulcate stems enveloped basally by 2 to 3, tubular, scarious sheaths and carrying a single, apical, fleshy, dark green elliptic-lanceolate, gradually narrowing below into the winged base leaf that blooms in the spring on very short, arising from a spathe at the apex of the ramicaul, peduncle to .2" [5 mm] long, rachis .2 to .6" [5 to 1.5 mm] long, simultaneously 2 to 5 flowered inflorescence with as long as to longer than the pedicel floral bracts and holding the flowers close to the leaf base.
"This species is most closely related to the Peruvian Pleurothallis pantasmoides C. Schweinf. , but it differs in the spatulate, apiculate petals (instead of truncate), and in the position of the apex of the stem at the base of the leaf (instead of above the base). The most distinctive character of P. scalpricaulis is its rigid, flattened, sharp-edged secondary stem with a central groove, resembling very much a double-bladed chisel. The blade of the leaf is not decurrent on the stem as is the case in several other related species, e.g. P. pantasmi Rchb. f.." Luer 1976
"Distinguished by the elliptical leaf, a sharply winged ramicaul and a short, few flowered inflorescence of rigidly fleshy, brown flowers. Although coherent into an arcuate synsepal in the natural position, they separate easily into falcate blades when the lamina is expanded. The petals are spathulate and unguiculate. The lip is ovoid with a central, longitudinal, grooved callus." Luer 2004
Synonyms Acianthera scalpricaulis (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W. Chase 2001
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Selbyana 1(4): 424, f. 103. Luer 1976 drawing fide;
Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 579 Dodson 1983 drawing fide;
Icones Pleurothallidianarum Vol III Systematics of Pleurothallis Luer 1986; Orchids of Bolivia Vasquez & Ibisch Vol 1 2000 drawing fide; Lindleyana Vol 16 No 4:246 Pridgeon & M.W. Chase 2001 as Acianthera scalpricaulis; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Dodson 2003 drawing fide; Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 75(1)e069: 13 2018 A taxonomic synopsis of Acianthera (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) in Peru, including two new species Damian, Chiron and Mitidieri 2018 as Acianthera scalpricaulis photo fide; Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels Vol 1 Karremans & Viera 2020 as Acianthera scalpricaulis photo fide
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