Microchilus metallescens (Barb.Rodr.) E.C.Smidt & M.W.Chase 2021

Drawing by © Cogniaux, von Martius, Eichler, Urban © and Flora Brasilensis Vol 3 pt 4: tab 53 Cogniaux 1896

Common Name The Shimmering Metal Microchilus

Flower Size .24" [6 mm]

Found in Minas Gerais state of Brazil in wet montane forests as a miniature sized, cool growing terrestrial with a short, repent rhizome giving rise to an erect, terete, puberulous, leafy stem carrying 5, silvery, dark green spotted above, bluish white beneath, elliptic, acute, basally clasping, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the spring on an erect, terminal, erect, terete, pale green, provided with 3 spaced, lanceolate bracts, acute, sparsely short pilose, 6 to 8" [15 to 20 cm] long, laxly, conical, 12 to 15 flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, glabrous, somewhat longer than the ovary floral bracts.

Synonyms Aspidogyne metallescens (Barb.Rodr.) Garay 1977; Erythrodes metallescens (Barb.Rodr.) Ames 1922; *Physurus metallescens Barb.Rodr.1882

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Gen. Spec. Orchid. 2: 291 Barb Rodr. 1882 as Physurus metallescens

Flora Brasilensis Vol 3 pt 4: 236 Cogniaux 1896 as Physurus metallescens

Flora Brasilensis Vol 3 pt 4: tab 53 Cogniaux 1896 as Physurus metallescens drawing fide

Studies in the family Orchidaceae Vol VII: 72 Ames 1922 as Erythrodes metallescens;

Flora Brasilica Vol XII II 13-43: 356 Hoehne 1945 as Physurus metallescens

Flora Brasilica Vol XII II 13-43: tab193 Hoehne 1945 as Physurus metallescens drawing fide;

Iconographia de Orchidaceae Do Brasil Hoehne 1949 as Physurus metallescens;

Orchidaceae Brasilensis Vol 1: 131 Pabst & Dungs 1975 as Erythrodes metallescens

Orchidaceae Brasilensis Vol 1: 286 fig 509 Pabst & Dungs 1975 as Erythrodes metallescens drawing ok;

Bradea 2: 204 Garay 1977 as Aspidogyne metallescens

* Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 197: 341 E.C.Smidt & M.W.Chase 2021

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