Scaphosepalum grande Kraenzl. 1922 SECTION Distichium Luer 1988
Photo by © Jay Pfahl
Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by Dan Newman of Hanging Gardens
Photo courtesy of Andy's Orchids Copyright © 2002 All rights reserved.
TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Large Scaphosepalum
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Antioquia department of Colombia at altitudes of 1200 to 1500 meters as a small sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 2 to3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, thinly coriaceous, plicate, elliptical, subacute leaf that is cuneate below to the long, channeled petiole that blooms in the spring on a lateral, to 12" [30 cm] long, racemose, successively single, several to many flowered inflorescence with several, conspicuous, triangular, oblique, conduplicate floral bracts arising from low down on the ramicaul with a single flower at a time and held at leaf height.
This species is easily distinguish from others by its plicate leaf, a smooth, erect inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul, a large bracted, disticuous raceme and a greenish white synsepal spotted with purple through the middle.
Synonyms Scaphosepalum escobarianum Garay 1971
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orquideologia Vol 12 3/4 1977/8 as S escobarianum; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Systematics of Dresslerella And Scaphosepalum Vol 5 1988 drawing fide; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 4 COS 1992 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 64 No 3 1995 photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 42 - 43 pg 2626 - 2762 Brieger 2001; Mille et Une Mini Orchideees Roguenant 2009 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 81 #11 2012 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #2 2016 photo fide;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------