Lepanthes splendida Luer & Hirtz 1993 SECTION Lepanthes SUBSECTION Lepanthes SERIES Elongatae 1993

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

EARLY

Common Name The Splendid Lepanthes

Flower Size .28” [7 mm]

Found in Morona-Santiago province of Ecuador at elevations around 1900 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped by 3 to 4, minutely ciliate lepanthiform sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the early summer on an erect, loose, held well above the leaf, to 3.8” [9.5 cm] long including the 1.2” [3 cm] long peduncle, simultaneosuly 5 to 6 flowered inflorescence with shorter than the pedicel floral bracts and carrying large purple flowers.

"Characterized by the small vegetative habit and an imposing, erect inflorescence of several large, simultaneous, purple flowers. The broad synsepal is considerably larger than the acute dorsal sepal. The lower lobe of the petals is minute. The blades of the lip are falcate and the short, two part a[[endix is held between the blades beneath the column." Luer & Hirtz 1993

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Novon 3: 452 Luer 1993 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XIV Luer 1996 drawing fide;

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