Gomphichis valida Rchb.f. 1878
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Photo by © Ecuagenera and their Ecuador Orchid Website
Drawing by © Bobbi Angell and Plant Syst Evol 301: 61. Nowak, S., Szlachetko, D.L., Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. et al. 2015
Common Name The Strong Gomphichis
Flower Size
Found in Nariño and Putumayo departments of Colombia Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia at elevations of 1900 to 4800 meters as a large sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with basal, rather coriaceous, 3 to 5, lanceolate-elliptic, acute to obtuse, tapering towards a vaginate base leaves that blooms in the winter on a terminal, erect, peduncle to 24" [60 cm] long, provided with several sheathing bracts, rachis 4" [10 cm] long, cylindrical, many flowered inflorescence with oblong-elliptic, acute, villose, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying rather large, externally hirsute, often fragrant flowers.
" Characterized by the obscurely 3 lobed lip with the middle lobe much larger than the lateral lobes and the densely pubescent sepals. The most similar species is Gomphichis goodyeroides but it has glabrous sepals." Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019
Synonyms Stenoptera valida (Rchb.f.) Schltr. 1914
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Xenia Orchidaceae Vol 3: 20 Reichenbach 1878;
Die Orchideen: 109 Schlechter 1915 as Stenoptera valida;
Die Orchideen Schlechter 1927 as Stenoptera valida;
Flora of Ecuador No 9 225[1] Garay 1978;
Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 2 Dodson 2001 drawing fide;
Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide;
Plant Syst Evol 301: 61. Nowak, S., Szlachetko, D.L., Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. et al. 2015;
Orquideas Tesoro de Colombia: 343 #19 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 fide photo fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 76 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 77 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 drawing fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 77 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 drawings fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 2: 421 # 24-25-26 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2019 photos fide
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