Pleurothallis popayanensis F.Lehm. & Kraenzl. 1899 SUBGENUS Crocodeilanthe [Rchb.f & Warsc.]Luer 1986
Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Common Name The Popayan Pleurothallis [Town in southern Colombia]
Flower Size .12" [3 mm]
Found in Cauca department of Colombia at elevations around 2500 to 3000 meters as a small sized, cold growing, densely caespitose epiphyte with erect, fasciculate, stout ramicauls enveloped by a loose tubular sheath near the middle and 2 to 3 imbricating sheaths about the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, pale purple beneath, elliptical-oblong, subacute, cuneate below into the conduplicate, sessile base leaf that blooms on 1 to 2, erect, slender, congested, more or less distichous, arising through a broad spathe from the apex of the ramicaul, 2 to 3.2" [15 to 21 cm] long including the 1.6" [4 cm] long peduncle, simultaenously many flowered inflorescence with an infundibular, as long as to longer than the ovary floral bract.
"Similar vegetatively to severl species in the subgenera that have a foliaceous sheath emering from the base of the sessile leaf. The numerous, small flowers are more of less globose with broad concave sepals. The petals are proportionally large, suborbicular and single veined. The lip is simple, transversely ovate when expanded and free of any callus." Luer 1998
Synonyms Crocodeilanthe popayanensis (F.Lehm. & Kraenzl.) Luer 2004; Stelis popayanensis (F.Lehm. & Kraenzl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Stelis globosa Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2002
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 26: 438 F.Lehm. & Kraenzl. 1899;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XVI Systematics of Pleurothallis SUBGEN Crocodeilanthe, Rhynchopera and Talpinaria Luer 1998 drawing fide;
Lindleyana 16(4): 263 Pridgeon & M.W. Chase, 2001 as Stelis globosa;
Lindleyana 16(4): 265 Pridgeon & M.W. Chase, 2001 as Stelis popoayanensis;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVI Pleurothallis subgenus Acianthera and Three Allied subgenera, A Second Century of new Species of Stelis of Ecuador, Epibator, Ophidion and Zootrophion Luer 2004 as Crocodeilanthe popayanensis;
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