Prescottia spiranthophylla Barb.Rodr. 1877

Drawing by © Hoehne

Full Shade Hot WarmWinter

Common NameThe Spiral Leaves Prescottia

Flower Size

Found in Rio de Janiero state of Brazil as a robust, medium to giant sized, hot to warm growing terrestrial with 4 to 10, rosulate, basal, erect, broadly linear-lanceolate, widely sheathed below, slightly oblong, acute, not acuminate bleaves that blooms in the winter on an erect, terminal, peduncle up to 40" [1 meter] tall, .8" [2 cm] wide at the base, provided with foliaceous below, decreasing in size above, loosely clasping sheathing bracts, rachis 8 to 12" [20 to 30 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence with oval, abruptly acuminate, decreasing in size upwards, as long as to a bit shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying sessile flowers.

Separated from !Prescottia plantaginea by the much larger and thicker flower spike, and much larger flowers with a larger lip.

Being as it is from the urban area of Rio, the species may be extinct from habitat loss. I have found no new collections and or drawings or photos, and there are only 2 original collections according to my references.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Gen. Spec. Orchid. 1: 177 Barb Rodr. 1877

Flora Brasilensis Vol 3 Pt 4: 264 Cogniaux 1893

Flora Brasilica Vol XII II: 106 Hoehne 1945;

Flora Brasilica Vol XII II: tab 70 Illustrations Hoehne 1945 drawing ok;

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