Microchilus colombianus (Garay) E.C.Smidt & M.W.Chase 2021

Drawing of Aspidogyne colombiana by A Krol from Garays original TYPE Drawing and Harvard Pap. Bot. 13: 70 Ormerod 2008

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Common Name The Colombian Microchilus

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in Cundinamarca and Cauca departments of Colombia in lower montane forests at elevations of 1000 to 1500 meters as a small sized, cool growing terrestrial with a decumbent, ascending rhizome giving rise to an erect, stem carrying numerous, suborbicular, ovate to elliptic, acute, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the late spring and summer on an erect, terminal, to 4.4" [11 cm] long, peduncle suberect, loosely sheathing bracts, rachis laxly many flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, almost glabrous, as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying small flowers.

"This species is distinctive among Andean Microchilus in having a combination of shortish stems, ovate to suborbicular leaves and an elongate inflorescence peduncle. Its flowers are much like other species formerly placed in Stephanothelys." Ormerod 2007

Synonyms Aspidogyne colombiana (Garay) Ormerod 2007; Erythrodes colombiana (Garay) P.Ortiz 1995; *Stephanothelys colombiana Garay 1977

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Bradea 2: 199 Garay 1977 as Stephanothelys colombiana

Orquídeas Colombia: 265 Ortiz 1995 as Erythrodes colombiana

Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 146 Ormerod 2007 as Aspidogyne colombiana

Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 1: 423 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2017 as Aspidogyne colombiana drawing fide;

* J. Linn. Soc. 197: 338 E.C.Smidt & M.W.Chase 2021

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