Trichosalpinx systremmata (Luer) Luer 1983 SUBGENUS Tubella Luer 1986

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The Ball-Like Trichosalpinx [refers to the plant habit]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Loja provicen of Ecuador at elevations around 2000 to 2400 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with erect, ramicauls enveloped by 2, ribbed, glabrous to microscopically ciliate lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, broadly elliptical, to suborbicular, obtuse, contracted below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall and winter on a loose, filiform, 4.4" [11 cm] long including the .4 to 2" [1 to 5 cm] long peduncle, successively several flowered inflorescence arising from the apex of the ramicaul.

"Distinguished by the dense tuft of small, broadly elliptic to suborbicular leaves that obscure the short ramicauls. The lepanthiform sheaths are microscopic, long loose racemes of successive, long-pedicellate flowers are produced. The acute sepals are more or less acuminate and thickened. The petals are obovate and the simple lip is ovoid with the apex rounded." Luer 1997

Synonyms *Pleurothallis systremmata Luer 1981; Tubella systremmata (Luer) Archila 2000

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XV Systematics of Trichosalpinx Luer 1997 drawing fide;

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