!Stereochilus hirtus Lindl. 1859

Photo by © Eric Hunt

Common Name The Hirsute Stereochilus

Flower Size 1/2"

A miniature to small sized, hot growing monopodial epiphyte occuring in Assam India, eastern Himalayas, Sikkim, Bhutan and Myanamar at elevations around 175 to 700 meters with a short stem carrying, lorate, very thick, straight horizontal leaves that blooms in the late spring on a drooping, 1 to 3" [2.5 to 7.5 cm] long, slender, pubescent, racemose inflorecence with a few, short-lived, glabrous flowers.

This species and S erinaceus are very similar and often confused but this species differs mostly in the hairs only being on the pedicel and not on the sepals and petals of the flower.

Synonyms Sarcanthus hirtus (Lindl.) T. Tang & F.T. Wang 1951; Sarcanthus hirtus (Lindl.) J.J. Sm. 1912; Sarcochilus hirtulus Hook. f. 1890; Thrixspermum hirtulum (Hook.f.) Kuntze 1891

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95 as Sarcochilus hirtis; The Orchids of Sikkim-Himalaya Part 1 King & Pantling 1898 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 4 1958 Drawing ok; Indian Orchids, Guide to Identification and Culture vol 2 Pradhan 1979 drawing fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 22 1329 - 1392 Brieger 1989; Orchid Digest Vol 62 #3 1998 photo fide; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002 drawing fide; The Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007 drawing fide; A Century of New Orchid Records in Bhutan Royal Government of Bhutan 2017 Drawing/photo fide;

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