Stelis coralloides Luer & Hirtz 2002 SECTION Labiatae

TYPE drawing by Carl Luer

Common Name The Coral Like Stelis [refers to the branching coral-like parts on the floral parts and leaves]

Flower Size .08" [2 mm]

Found in Morona Santiago province of Ecuador at elevations around 1500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, densely caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by a close tubular sheath and 1 to 2 others at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, subacute, narrowing gradually below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall on an erect, peduncle 1.2 to 1.6" [3 to 4 cm] long, through a small spathe .12' [3 mm] long, from an annulus below the apex of the ramicaul, rachis 2.4 to 2.8" [6 to 7 cm] long, loose, mostly successively several flowered inflorescence with infundibular, oblique, acute, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying light green flowers with glabrous sepals, thin, obovate, shallowly concave petals and an ovate, narrowly obtuse lip.

Distinguished by the caespitose habit with narrowly elliptical leaves borne by a slender, slightly shorter ramiculs and a delicate, loose, successively flowered raceme. The tiny green flowers appear similar to those of S spathulata with converging lateral sepals. The petals are simlarily cucullate, single veined and concave but the lip is entire, narrowly ovate, slightly concave and featureless save for a brush-like callus at the base. The anther cap is proportionally large, nearly as large as one of the eptals. Within the substance of the floral parts and leaves are branching clumps of a coral-like substance, similar to the scattered crystalline deposits found in so many species of Pleurothallids." Luer 2002

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIV A First Century Of Stelis Of Ecuador Luer 2002

Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIV A First Century Of Stelis Of Ecuador Luer 2002 Drawing fide

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