Pleurothallis vestigipetala Luer 1977 SUBGENUS Aenigma SECTION Vestigipetalae Luer 1986
Photo by Ecuagenera and their Orchid Website
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Vestigal Petaled Pleurothallis [refers to the almost non-existent petals]
Found in Azuay province of Ecuador in trees along streams at elevations of 2400 to 3000 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing, long-repent epiphyte with a long-repent, branching rhizome giving rise to ascending ramicauls enveloped by 1 to 2 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, acute, gradually narrowing below into the subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring and fall on a filiform, arising from a node on the ramicaul, loose, flexuous, racemose, .4 to 2" [1 to 5 cm] long, successively few flowered inflorescence with as long as to just short of the pedicel floral bracts.
"The rhizomes are stout anmd branching bearing small, elliptical leaves. The racemes are loosely flexuous and usually surpassing the leaves. The three sepals spread widely to expose the erect, tubular column clasped by the thin lip. The minute, barely visible, vestigal petals cling to the sides of the base. Cleistogamous forms are not rare." Luer 2006
Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]
Synonyms Andinia vestigipetala (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Lueranthos vestigipetalus (Luer) Szlach. & Marg. 2001
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Selbyana 3(3,4): 404. Luer 1977;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol III Systematics of Pleurothallis Luer 1986
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol III Systematics of Pleurothallis Luer 1986 drawing fide;
Orchids of Bolivia Vasquez & Ibisch Vol 1 2000 drawing fide;
Lindleyana 16(4): 252. Pridgeon & M.W. Chase 2001 as Andinia vestigipetala;
Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Dodson 2003 photo fide;
Macchu Picchu Orchids Eric Christenson 2003;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII A Reconsideration of Masdevallia Systematics of Specklinia Luer 2006 as Lueranthos vestigipetalus;
Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels Vol 1 Karremans & Viera 2020 photo fide
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