Stelis limbata Luer & Hirtz 2007 SECTION Stelis

Drawing by © Carl Luer

Common Name The Different Margined Stelis [refers to the sepals]

Flower Size .16” [4 mm]

Found in Imbabura province of Ecuador at elevations around 3000 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped by 2 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, ellipitical, subacute, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on an erect, sublax [extremely congested towards the apex, 3.2 to 4” [8 to 10 cm] long including the 1 to 1.6” [2.5 to 4 cm] long peduncle, successively 6 to 7, several flowered inflorescence arising through a spathe from below the apex of the ramicaul with infundibular, oblique, acute, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying purple flowers with yellow bordered sepals.

"Characterized by the small, caespitose habit with racemes exceeding the elliptical, subacute leaves. The floral bracts are conspicuous and become successively closer together until they are overlapping with aborted floewrs at the apex. The obtuse sepals are widely expanded, but the margins are thick, especially at the apices. These thick borders are yellow while the rest of the flower is purple. The petals are thin, rounded and single-veined. The lip is transverse with a patch of microscopic hairs arranged in parellel rows present at the base." Luer 2007

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* *Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIX A Third Century of Stelis of Ecuador Systematics of Aoda-Prorepentia Luer 2007

*Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIX A Third Century of Stelis of Ecuador Systematics of Aoda-Prorepentia Luer 2007 drawing fide;

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