Stelis meganthera Luer 2001 SECTION Stelis

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Epidendra Website

Common Name The Large Anther Stelis [refers to the large anther cap]

Flower Size .08" [2 mm]

Found in Chirique province of Panama at elevations around 650 to 700 meters as a mini-miniature sized, warm growing, densely caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 2 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly linear-obovate, semi-terete, obtuse, apiculate, gradually narrowing below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the winter on an erect, arising from an annulus below the apex of the ramicaul, distichous, subdense, 1.6 to 2.8" [4 to 7 cm] long including the .8 to 1.2" [2 to 3 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with tubular, acute, shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying white, glabrous flowers.

"This species, known only from western Panama, is similar to Stelis parvula, but it differs in significant details. Stelis meganthera is characterized by a small habit with short ramicauls; linear, semiterete leaves .08 to .12" [2 to 3 mm] wide; inconspicuous floral bracts; white, glabtous, subacute sepals; a slightly proportionately large dorsal sepal; flabellate petals; an oblong lip with and acute apex; and a proportionately large anther, larger than the lip." Luer 2001

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Selbyana 22(2): 122–124, f. 17 Luer 2001 drawing fide;

Orchidaceae Stelis Swartz A Compendium Duque 2008 drawing fide;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------