Stelis membranacea Luer & Hirtz 2004 SECTION Stelis
Drawing by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Membraneous Stelis [refers to the sepals]
Flower Size .4" [1 cm]
Found in Morona-Santiago province of Ecuador without elevational data as a miniature sized, caespitose epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped by a tubular sheath below the middle and 1 to 2 others at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall on an erect, arising throug a slender spathe near the apex of the ramicaul, lax, distichous, subflexuous, 4.8" [12 cm] long including the 1.2 to 1.4" [3 to 3.5 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously 3 to 4, several flowered inflorescence with broadly oblique, obtuse, just short to as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying flowers with yellow sepals and light green petals.
"Characterized by a loose raceme of comparitively large flowers that exceeds the elliptical, petiolate leaf. The sepals are broadly expanded, transversely ovate and thinly membraneous in texture. The petals are large and transverse with a narrow transverse callus. The lip is small and concave anteriorly with the apex broadly rounded. The margins are folded upon themselves above the base that is acutely deflexed." Luer 2004
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
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