Mormodes variabilis Rchb.f 1869

Flower Closeup Photos by © Jay Pfahl

Common Name The Variable Mormodes

This species is a large sized, warm growing epiphyte from Ecuador in wet montane forests at elevations of 900 to 1200 meters with conical to fusiform, fleshy, several noded pseudobulbs subtended by several, scarious, foliaceous sheaths that entirely envelop the pseudobulb and have linear, plicate, thin, deciduous, basally clasping leaves and blooms in the spring on a short to 2' [60 cm]long, few [3 to 9] flowered inflorescence that arises from low to near the middle of a mature, leafless pseudobulb and has fragrant flowers.

Synonyms Mormodes holochrysa Rchb. f. 1874

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1870 drawing; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942 drawing ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 30 No 8 1961 photo; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 463 Dodson 1982 drawing hmm; Orchids from The Coast Of Ecuador Arosemana, Jurado, Estrada and Konanz 1988 photo fide; Colombian Native Orchids Vol 3 COS 1991 photo fide; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 as M aff variabilis photo close; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 drawing hmm/photos notOrquideologia Vol. 23 No 2 2004 photo;

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