Lepanthes hirpex Luer & R.Escobar 1985 Photo by © Ron Parsons and his Picasa Orchid Photo Webpage

Common Name The Rake Lepanthes [refers to the appearance of the long-pedicellate rachis]

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in Colombia at elevations of 2200 to 2500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with erect to suberect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 5 to 6, close, microscopically ciliate lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, apical, thickly coriaceous, erect, ovate, subacute, rounded and abruptly contracted below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a filiform, congested, distichous, 1.2" [3 cm] long, successively flowered inflorescence arising on the back the leaf

Similar to L larvina but differs in the deeply connate lateral sepals, broader lobes of the petaqls and an appendix in the sinus of the lip instead of on the external surface below the sinus

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 5 Luer & Escobar 1985 drawing/photo fide

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