Pleurothallis rostriformis [Zambrano & Solano] in ed SUBGENUS Crocodeilanthe [Rchb.f & Warsc.]Luer 1986

Photo by Javier Zambrano

Common Name The Beak Shaped Pleurothallis

Flower Size

Found in El Oro province of Ecuador in semi-deciduous montane forests in thick moss at elevations of 1300 to 1550 meters as a medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with a slightly ancipitous, 2 internoded ramicaul enveloped by 3 to 4, tubular, imbricate, persistent, chartaceous sheaths and with an annulus near the apex of the distal internode and carrying a single, apical, coriaceous, shorter than the stem, slightly fleshy, oblong-elliptic to elliptic, obtuse to widely rounded, emarginate apically, cuneate below intothe sessile base leaf that blooms in the fall on an erect, arising through an annulus, peduncle slender, provided with 3 to 4, enclosed at the base by a spathaceous, conduplicate, persistent, chartaceous bract, 8 to10" [20 to 25 cm] long, simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with obliquely tubular, acute, persistent, scarious, as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying small, slightly fetidly scented flowers.

"The species most closely related to the new taxon is the Colombian Pleurothallis gigas which can be distinguished by its elliptic-ovate, shortly petiolate leaves (vs. oblong-elliptic, sessile), oblong-ovate, marginally ciliate dorsal sepal (vs. ovate-elliptic, marginally crenulate), longer, 3-nerved, and obovate petals (.9" vs .48 to .56" [2.25 mm vs. 1.2–1.4 mm], 1-nerved, obovate-spathulate), oblong, trilobated lip (vs. ovate, entire), and longer column foot ( .32 vs .2" [0.8 mm vs. 0.5 mm])." Zambrano, Solano 2018

Synonyms Crocodeilanthe rostriformis (Zambrano & Solano) Kolan. & Szlach. 2020; *Stelis rostriformis Zambrano & Solano 2018;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Phytotaxa 376 (4): 177–184 Zambrano & Solano 2018 drawing/photo fide; Phyton (Horn) 60: 144 Kolan. & Szlach. 2020 as Crocodielanthe rostriformis;

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