Pleurothallis trichyphis Rchb.f. 1865 SUBGENUS Specklinia SECTION Hymenodanthae SUBSECTION Apodae-Caespitosae [Lindl.]Luer 1986
Drawing by © Hagen Stenzel and Systematics and evolution of the genus Pleurothallis R. Br. (Orchidaceae) in the Greater Antilles
Common Name The ? Pleurothallis
Flower Size .4" [1 cm]
Found in western Cuba, in partially shaded places in humid mogote vegetation and mesophyllous evergreen rainforests from 400 to 900 meters as a mini-miniature sized, warm growing, caespitose epiphyte with a very short ramicaul, enveloped completely by 3, scarious, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, oblanceolate, to subspathulate, acute to shortly apiculate, glabrous, attenuate below into the base leaf that blooms on a terminal, arising through a spathe with an annulus, to 1.6" [4 cm] long, successively few flowered inflorescence with oblique, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts.
"The tiny, clustered leaves about .2" long,and hidden in moss would be difficult to spot and identify. A few racemes of a few, successive flowers are produced in a congested fascile borne by hair-like peduncles about .4" [1 cm] long. The flowers are membraneous with the dorsal sepal and synsepal acute. The petals are membraneous and obtuse. The labellum is elliptical, rounded at the apex and three veined." Ackerman 2014
Synonyms Specklinia trichyphis (Rchb.f.) Luer 2004
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Catologo Descriptivo de Las Orquideas Cubanas Acuna 1987;
Orchidaceae Antillanae Nir 2000;
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 Specklinia trichyphis;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII A Reconsideration of Masdevallia Systematics of Specklinia Luer 2006 as Specklinia trichyphis
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII A Reconsideration of Masdevallia Systematics of Specklinia Luer 2006 as Specklinia trichyphis drawing fide;
Orchid Flora of the Greater Antilles Ackerman 2014
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