Pleurothallis pubescens Lindl. 1836 Subgen. Acianthera Sect. Brachystachyae Lindley 1859

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Dale and Deni Borders

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Noble Bashor

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Common Name The Fine Haired Pleurothallis

Flower Size 1/16" or less

A highly variable, miniature sized, unifoliate epiphytic species from dense humid forests, at altitudes of 500 to 1900 meters in the countries of Mexico, Honduras, Panama and Venezuela and much of the Caribbean as well as south to N Argentina with slender ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a sigle, apical, obovate, acute leaf that is ancipitous below into the petiole that blooms on an apical, fasciculate, 1 3/4" [4.5 cm] long, few flowered, racemose inflorescence that holds the fragrant [not good] flowers close to mid leaf occuring in the summer through winter.

Synonyms Humboldtia bufonis (Klotzsch) Kuntze 1891; Humboldtia polystachya Ruiz & Pav 1798; Humboldtia pubescens (Lindl.) Kuntze ?; Humboldtia smithiana (Lindl.) Kuntze?; Humboldtia truxillensis (Rchb. f.) Kuntze?; Humboldtia vittata (Lindl.) Kuntze?; Humboltia bufonis (Klotzsch) Kuntze 1891; Humboltia polystachya (A. Rich. & Galeotti) Kuntze 1891; Humboltia pubescens (Lindl.) Kuntze 1891; Humboltia smithiana (Lindl.) Kuntze 1891; Humboltia truxillensis (Rchb. f.) Kuntze 1891; Pleurothallis bourgeaui Kraenzl. 1920; Pleurothallis bufonis Klotzsch 1854; Pleurothallis coriacea Bello 1883; Pleurothallis janeirensis Barb. Rodr. 1882; Pleurothallis mandibularis Kraenzl. 1920; Pleurothallis polystachya A. Rich. & Galeotti 1845; Pleurothallis riograndensis Barb. Rodr. 1882; Pleurothallis smithiana Lindl. 1843; Pleurothallis truxillensis Rchb. f. 1854;

Pleurothallis aff. pubescens Lindl. 1836

Plant Form and Growth Habit, note that the inflorescence are not visible as they are on the under side of the leaf Photo by Jay Pfahl

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This is a variant of the norm vegatatively. The leaves are thick, succulent and pointed at the end and they have a 3" long stem. The plant has the flowers growing on the underside of the leaf in the manner of Trichopsalpinx. This plant was collected in Chiapas Mexico and has flowers that open quickly in succession.

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