Pleurothallis tortilis Luer & R.Escobar 1981 SUBGENUS Effusae Luer 2000

Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Epidendra Website

THROUGH

Common Name The Twisted Pleurothallis [refers to the petiole of the leaf]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Cauca department of Colombia and Carchi and Napo provinces of Ecuador at elevations around 2500 to 3300 meters as a small to medium sized, cold growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls with a tubular sheath below the middle and 2 to 3 others at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, elliptical-oblong, subacute to obtuse, cuneate below into the channeled, twisted, petiolate base leaf that blooms in the summer through fall on 1 to 6, arising behind the leaf through a spathe from the apex of the ramicaul below the abscission layer,loose, secund, to 1.2 to 3.6" [3 to 9 cm] long including the .8 to 1.2" [2 to 3 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously several flowered inflorescence with shorter than the pedicel floral bracts.

"Characterized by the racemes no longer than the leathery leaf, and borne from the base of a twisted petiolae to arise along the back side of the leaf. The flowers are fleshy with obtuse sepals, the laterals connate to above the middle into a concave synsepal. The petals are spathulate and concave with three purple veins externally. The lip is oblong with the apex truncate and with a pair of tall, rounded, intramural lamellae on the middle third and a lower lamella between." Luer 2000

Synonyms Effusiella tortilis (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2007; Specklinia tortilis (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2004; Stelis tortilis (Luer & R.Escobar) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

*Orquideología 14(2): 180 Luer and Excobar 1981 drawing fide;

Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol III Systematics of Pleurothallis Luer 1986;

Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XX Systematics of Jostia, Andinia, Barbosella, Barbrodia & Pleurothallis subgen Antilla, Effusia and Restrepioidia Luer 2000

Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XX Systematics of Jostia, Andinia, Barbosella, Barbrodia & Pleurothallis subgen Antilla, Effusia and Restrepioidia Luer 2000 drawing fide;

Lindleyana 16(4): 267. Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001 as Stelis tortilis;

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 2004as Specklinia tortilis;

Icones Pleurothallidianrum Vol XXIX A Third Century of Stelis of Ecuador Systematics of Apoda-Prorepentia Luer 2007as Effusiella tortilis

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