Stelis cleistogama Schltr. 1918 SECTION Stelis
Photo by © JM VP and The Orquideas Mexicanas Website
TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Self-Pollenating Stelis
Flower Size .04” [1 mm]
Found in Chiapas state of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras at elevations around 1500 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphyte with an erect, stout ramicaul enveloped by 2 sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, oblanceolate-ligulate, obtuse, cuneate below into the short petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a erect, laxly, distichous, 8” [20 cm] long including the .8” [2 cm] long peduncle, mostly simultaneously many flowered inflorescence arising through a spathe from below the apex of the ramicaul with cuculate, apiculate floral bracts and carrying pale red flowers.
Differs from other Stelis of Guatemala by its oblong-quadrate lip. Stelis cleistogama is recognized by its small flowers about .12" [3 mm] wide, apparently cleistogamus, the inflexed sepals, never totally extended, the transversely oblong-quadrate lip strongly excavated to its apex. with an inconspicuous apicule and a transverse callus that is thicker above the middle. The leaves oblanceolate and rounded." Solano 1993
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 15: 203 Schlechter 1918;
Orchids of Guatemala Ames Correll 1952
Orchids of Guatemala Ames Correll 1952 drawing ok;
Las Orquideas de El Salvador Vol 2 Hamer 1974 drawing/photo fide;
Icones Plantarum Tropicarum Plate 1276 Fritz Hamer 1985 drawing fide;
ORQUIDEA (MEX.) 13(1- 2) Solano and Soto Arenas DICIEMBRE 1993 drawing fide;
Orchidaceae Stelis Swartz A Compendium Duque 2008 drawing ok;
Orchid Genera and Species in Guatemala Archila, Szlachchetko, Chiron, Lipinska, Mystkowska and Bertolini 2018
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