Psilochilus mollis Garay 1978 Photo by © Alexander Hirtz

Lip Detail Drawing Drawing by © Oledrzynska, Kolanowska, Naczk & Jaskula Herbarium-based studies on taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of Psilochilus (Orchidaceae)

Common Name The Soft-Leaved Psilochilus

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in Ecuador at elevations of 900 to 1500 meters as a small sized, warm to cool growing terrestrial with a decumbent rhizome giving rise to an ercet , leafless below, 2 to 4 leaves above, glabrous stem carrying, thin, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, basally sub-cuneate to rounded, petiolate base leaves tha blooms on a short, few flowered inflorescence nwith ovate-lanceolate, conduplicate floral bracts and carrying successively opening flowers.

" The examination of the isotype of Psilochilus mollis revealed some inconsistency with the Garay’s drawing deposited in K and the one presented in species description (Garay, 1978). The lip claw of the specimen deposited in MO is very long, constituting about half of the lip length (Fig. 23) and the lip middle lobe is subrhombic, widest near the middle. Based on the distinct petiole and leaf shape observed in this species it seems to be related to P. modestus, but the middle lobe of P. mollis is longer than wide (vs about equally long and wide in P. modestus). " Herbarium-based studies on taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of Psilochilus (Orchidaceae) Kolanowska, Naczk & Jaskula 2016

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Fl. Ecuador 9(225: 1): 47 Garay 1978; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 41 pg 2565 - 2625 Brieger 2001; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Dodson 2003 drawing/photo fide;

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