Pollardia micropus (Rchb.f.) in ed.
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Photo courtesy of Rick Barry
Drawing by Roberto Ginzales
to EARLY 
Common Name The Three Spot Pollardia [refers to the three Calli on the Column]
Flower Size 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" [3 to 4 cm]
Endemic to Nayarit, Jaslisco, Guerrero, Mexico, Morelos, and Oaxaca states of Mexico on oaks at altitudes of 1200 to 2000 metersas a small sized, cool growing, epiphytic, deciduous species with ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, slightly compressed, closely clustered pseudobulbs partially enveloped basally by a few scarious sheaths and carrying 2 to 3, apical, narrowly elliptic, acute to obtuse, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate, basally clasping leaves that are deciduous in the winter and starts a new growth in the spring as well as blooms on an old leafless growth in the spring and early summer on an apical, length of the leaves or less, arising from the apice of an older leafless, ellipsoid to ovoid pseudobulb as a new growth appears, 1.6" [4 cm] long, 1 to 5 flowered inflorescence with ovate, acute, carinate, membraneous floral bracts and carrying showy, resupinate, very fragrant flowers.
Pollardia micropus is recognized by the deciduous leaves, absent in the winter and the contrasting coloration of the lip and the column, the former creamy-white and the latter deep bluish purple with the apical teeth yelloow. The obovate líp, sometimes with rudimentary lateral lobes is also characteristic. Hagsater 1990
CAUTION !!! Withner & Harding in 2004 moved Encyclia tripunctata to Pollardia tripunctata but they used Epidendrum tripunctatum Lindley 1853 Nom illegal as the basionym which is known as a synonym of Anacheilium calamaria. They should have cited Epidendrum tripunctatum Lindley 1841 as the basionym which would have made the name Pollardia tripuntata valid. As it is Epidendrum micopus is the next available name and ergo the need, within my framework, for the name Pollardia micropus (Rchb.f.) in ed.
Mounting on branches or tree fern seems to be the way to go and they need a slightly cooler and drier winter.
Synonyms Encyclia diguetii (Ames) Hoehne 1952; Encyclia tripunctata (Lindl.) Dressler 1961; Epidendrum diguetii Ames 1922; *Epidendrum micropus Rchb. f. 1863; Epidendrum tripunctatum Lindl. 1841; Pollardia tripunctata [Lindl 1853!!!!!!!] Withner & Harding 2004 NOT = Anacheilium calamaria; Prosthechea micropus (Rchb.f.) W.E.Higgins 2004; Prosthechea tripunctata [Lindl] Higgins 1997; Pseudencyclia tripunctata (Lindl.) V.P.Castro & Chiron 2003
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Edwards's Bot. Reg. 27(Misc.): 66 Lindley 1841 as Epidendrum tripunctatum;
Hamburger Garten- Blumenzeitung 19: 13 Rchb.f 1863 as Epidendrum micropus;
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 7: 249 Schlechter 1920 as E micropus;
Schedul. Orchid. 1: 15 Ames 1922 as Ep[idendrum diguetii;
The Genus Epidendrum Ames 1936 as Epidendrum diguetii;
The Genus Epidendrum Ames 1936 as Epidendrum tripunctatum;
Arq. Bot. Estado São Paulo, n.s., f.m., 2: 151 Hoehne 1952 as Encyclia diguetii;
AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 8 1959 as Epidendrum tripunctatum photo fide;
Brittonia 13: 265 Dressler 1961 as Encyclia tripunctata;
AOS Bulletin Vol 33 no 5 1964;
Flora Novo-Galaciana Vol 16 McVaugh 1985 as Encyclia tripunctata;
An Introdution to the Orchids of Mexico Wiard 1987 as Encyclia tripunctata photo fide;
Icones Orchidacearum I Plate 24 Hagsater & Salazar 1990 as Encyclia tripunctata drawing fide;
Phytologia 82: 380 W E Higgins 1997 publ. 1998 as Prosthechea tripunctata;
Orquideas del Estado de Morelos ORQUÍDEA (MÉX.) VOLUMEN 16 NÚMERO ÚNICO enero 2002 as Prosthechea tripunctata drawing/photo fide;
Richardiana 4: 33 V P Castro & Chiron 2003 as Pseudencylia tripunctata;
*The Cattleya and Their Relatives Vol 7 The Debateable Epidendrum Withner & Harding 2004 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 83 #6 2014 as Prosthechea micropus photo fide;
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