Stelis rhodochila Schltr. 1918 SECTION Stelis

TYPE Sheet Schlechter/Ames and The Epidendra Website

Common Name The Red Lipped Stelis

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in Costa Rica at elevations around 1500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, shortly repent epiphyte with ramicauls enveloped by 2 sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, ligulate, obtuse, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the summer on an erect, subdistichous, sublax, to 6.4" [to 16 cm] long including the .8 to 1.2" [2 to 3 cm] long peduncle, several flowered inflorescence arising through a small spathe from below the apex of the ramicual with broadly ovate-cucullate, apiculate, as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying green fowers with a red lip.

Similar to S bradei but the flowers are much smaller, the petals are more oval and the lip with the same shape on the inner surface is significant.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2 36(2): 392 Schlechter 1918 drawing fide ;

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