Lepanthes polytricha Luer 1983 SUBGENUS Lepanthes SECTION Lepanthes SUBSECTION Lepanthes SERIES Lepanthes Novon 1993 Photo by © Eric Hunt and his Flicker Orchid Photostream

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Common Name The Many Haired Lepanthes

Flower Size 1/10" [3 mm]

Found in southern Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations of 1700 to 2500 meters as a miniature sized, cool to warm growing epiphyte with stout, erect to suberect ramicauls enveloped basally by 4 to 13 lepanthiform sheaths with markedly dilated ostia with the margins and ribs ciliate and carries a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, pubescent beneath, minutely verrucose dorsally, transversly cordate-ovate, apically obtuse to rounded leaf that is abruptly contracted into the petiole from a cordate base and blooms on a congested, successively few flowered, 1/5" [7 mm] long, racemose inflorescence arising in a fascile on the underside of the leaf.

Recognized by the blades of the lip that resemble a toothbrush.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XIV Systematics of Draconanthes and Lepanthes Luer 1996 drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 2 Dodson 2001 photo fide; Flora of Ecuador No 88 Lepanthes and affiliates Dodson & Luer 2011 drawing fide

Checked Luer OK

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