Scelochilus minutus (Garay & Dunst.) Senghas 1987

Photo by Senghas/TYPE DrawingTYPE Drawing by © Dunsterville & Garay

Common Name The Minute Scelochilus

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in northern Venezuela in forests at elevations around 1300 to 1400 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with close set, ovoid to subglobose, smooth, green or brown pseudobulbs enveloped completely by grey to pinky brown sheaths one much longer than the pseudobulb, and carrying a single, apcial, green with purplish apex, entirely purple with age, oblong-elliptic, acute, shortly and sharply mucronate, narrowing below into the petiolate bsae leaf that blooms on a basal, erct, peduncle to .8" [2 cm] long, provided with a basal and mid point prominent bract, rachis arching, to .8" [2 cm] long, ferw flowered inflorescence with relatively long, floral bracts and carrying white to pale cream flowers with the petals having a pink patch on the inner face which shows through to the back.

Synonyms Comparettia minuta (Garay & Dunst.) M.W.Chase & N.H.Williams 2008; Neokoehleria minuta Garay & Dunst. 1965

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list IPNI *Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Vol 3 Dunsterville & Garay 1965 drawing fide; Flora de Venezuela Volumen 15 quinta parte Foldats 1970 as Neokoehleria minutadrawing fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 31 1905 - 1976 Brieger 1995 photo ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 #12 2008 as Comparettia minuta

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