Trichosalpinx bihuae [Monteros & Baquero] in ed. SUBGENUS Pseudolepanthes Luer 1986

LCDP Photo by Marco F. Monteros of Pseudolepanthes bihuae and Lankesteriana 21: 5 Monteros & Baquero 2021

Common Name The False Lepanthes-Like Trichosalpinx

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Carchi province of Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations around 1850 to 2050 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool to cold growing, caespitose epiphyte with erect, slender, stout ramicauls enveloped by 5 to 6, ciliate, lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coricaeous, purple suffused beneath, elliptical, subacute to obtuse, emarginate, apiculate, contracted below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms at any time of the year on a peduncle spiculate, filiform, .2 to .4" [.5 to 1 cm] long, long, rachis 5.2 to 6" [13 to 15 cm] long, slightly sinuous, loose, successively single, few flowered inflorescence arising from near the apex of the ramicaul with spiculate, acuminate, as long as to longer than the ovary floral bracts.

"Pseudolepanthes bihuae is recognized by its vinaceous or pale yellow flowers, elongate, arcuate column, and also by its lip with an elliptical blade bent down from the middle with an erect, thick, widely rectangular central callus. Pseudolepanthes bihuae shares with P. zunagensis a few characteristics, such as the long spiculate, concave, ovate, acute dorsal sepal and the slender, falcate, reflexed petals, but P. bihuae is easily distinguished by the vinaceous or pale yellow flowers (vs. orange flowers in P. zunagensis), the elongate, arcuate column (vs. short, erect, stout column in P. zunagensis) and the lip with an erect, thick, widely rectangular central callus (vs. with a verrucose callus slightly clavate at the rounded apex in P. zunagensis)." M.F.Monteros & Baquero 2021

Synonyms *Pseudolepanthes bihuae Monteros & Baquero 2021

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels Vol 1 Karremans & Viera 2020 Pg 254 top right as Pseudolepanthes aff zunagensis photo fide

* Lankesteriana 21: 5 Monteros & Baquero 2021

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