Stelis donaxopetala Luer 2009 SECTION Stelis

Drawing by © Carl Luer

Common Name The Donax Like Petal Stelis [A genus of mollusks]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Loja province of Ecuador at elevations around 3000 to 3200 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing, densely caespitose epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped by a loose tubular sheath below the middle and 1 to 2 others at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical-oblong, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall on an erect, arising through a sheath from an annulus below the apex of the ramicaul, strict, loose, to 5.2" [13 cm] long including the 2" [5 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously several flowered inflorescence with oblique, acute, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying yellowish flowers.

Distinguished by the medium sized, densely caespitose habit and a loose raceme longer than the leaf with about 12 or so relatively large flowers. The floral bracts are conspicuous as they contain the pedicel and ovary. The sepals are connate basally to forma cup to contain the central apparatus, but the large petals protrude from the angle between the dorsal and lateral sepals. The lip is shallowly concave, obtuse and densely pubescent on the dorsum in apposition with the pubescent undersurface of the column." Luer 2009

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXX Lepanthes of Jamaica Stelis of Ecuador Part IV Luer 2007;

Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXX Lepanthes of Jamaica Stelis of Ecuador Part IV Luer 2007 drawing fide

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