Pleurothallis spathulipetala Luer 1996 SUBGENUS Ancipitia SECTION Ancipitia Luer 1986

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The Spathulate Petal Pleurothallis

Flower Size .08" [2mm]

Found in Cundinamarca department of Colombia without elevational data as a mini-miniature sized, caespitose epiphyte with slender, compressed, erect ramicauls enveloped by a loose, tubular sheath on the lower third and another at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute to obtuse, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms on an erect, arising through a spathe at the base of the leaf, a fascile of slender, .4 to .6" [1 to 1,5 cm] long, successively single, few flowered inflorescence with an infundibular, much shorter than the pedicel floral bract.

"It is distinguished by the small caespitose habit with ramicauls clothed by a loose sheath below the middle. From the base of the little, elliptical leaf, slender, elongated peduncles produce successively single, tiny, suborbicular flowers. Between the concave dorsal sepal and synsepal, a pair of proportionately large, broadly spathulate petals are visible. The lip is broadly bilobed with an erect, transverse, trilobed callus above the base." Luer 1996

Synonyms Ancipitia spathulipetala (Luer) Luer 2004

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Orquideología 20(2): 227. Luer 1996 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 Ancipitia spathulipetala ;

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