Stelis soricina Luer & Hirtz 2007 SECTION Stelis
Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Rat Stelis [refers to the rat-tail like inflorescence]
Flower Size .12" [3 mm]
Found in Carchi province of Ecuador at elevations around 3300 meters as a miniature sized [each plantlet], cold growing, scandent epiphyte with erect, stout, prolific ramicauls enveloped by 3 to 4, close tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, acute, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the winter on an erect to suberect, arising through a spathe from near the apex of the ramicaul, strict, congested, secund, to 2.8 to 4.8" [7 to 12 cm] long including the very short peduncle, mostly simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with inflated, oblique, acute, as long as to shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying light yellow green flowers.
"Characterized by a stout, prolofic habit; acute, elliptical leaves and a striaght, densely many flowered raceme that flowers from the base. The floral bracts are inflated and imbricating. The flowers are small with connivent lateral sepals, the petals are concave and thiickened exteranlly and the lip is type "B". Luer 2007
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXIX A Third Century of Stelis of Ecuador Systematics of Apoda-Prorepentia Luer 2007 drawing fide;
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