IOSPE PHOTOS

!Soterosanthus shepheardii [Rolfe]Jenny 1986

Non spotted version Photo by © Jay Pfahl

Common Name Shephard's Soterosanthus [English Orchid Collector in Colombia]

Flower Size 1.4" [4 cm]

A rarely photographed or mentioned miniature from the Choco' region on the west coast of Colombia and N Ecuador's coast. It is the only species in the genus and is rarely seen in cultivation. It has ovoid, longitudinally ribbed pseudobulbs enveloped partially below by a few triangular, conduplicate sheaths and carrying 3, apical, veined, obtuse, red below green above leaves. It blooms in the summer on an erect, racemose, 6" [15 cm] long, several flowered inflorescence with non-resupinate flowers and is quite cute in appearance. The leaves are green on top and reddish on the bottom when the plant is in active growth but it loses some of its leaves as it flowers.

Synonyms *Sievekingia shepheardii Rolfe 1915

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 4 1992 photo fide; Schlechteriana Vol 4 No 1/2 1993 Drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 67 No 12 1998 photo fide; Orquideologia Vol 21 #2 1999 photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 37/38 pg 2309 - 2436 Brieger 1999 drawing/photo fide; Australian Orchid Review Vol 69 No 1 2004 photo; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 5 Dodson 2004 drawing/photo fide; Orquideas de la Serrania del Baudo Misas Urreta 2006 drawing/photo fide;

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