Stelis vallata Luer 2018 SECTION Stelis

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and Selbyana 32(1,2): 123 Luer & Vasquez 2018

EARLY

Common Name The Surrounded by a wall Stelis [referring to the fold at the bases of the lateral sepals]

Flower Size .16" [4 mm]

Found in Cochabamba department of Bolivia at elevations around 2100 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing, repent epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped by a loose tubular sheath on the lower half and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse to rounded, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the early summer on an erect to arching, arising through from a node at the apex of the ramicaul, peduncle 2" [5 cm] long, rachis 3.6 to 4.4" [9 to 11 cm] long, erect, strict, distichous, many flowered inflorescence with oblique, acute, shorter to longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying apparently purple flowers.

" This stout, repent species also produces caespitose elements of a few, stout ramicauls, each with an elliptical leaf that is obtuse or rounded at the tip. A single, many-flowered raceme exceeds the leaf, and the sepals are sparsely pubescent near the margins. In the lower quarter of each sepal, an erect fold forms a rampart around the central apparatus. The proportionately large, membranous petals are three-veined. The unique lip stands erect behind the wall-like folds of the lateral sepals. The lip is shallowly concave below a transverse, oblong callus at the base." Luer & Vasquez 2018

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Selbyana 32(1,2): 123 Luer & Vasquez 2018

Selbyana 32(1,2): 164 Luer & Vasquez 2018 Drawing fide;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------