Microchilus ovatus (Lindl.) D.Dietr. 1852
Drawing by © A Krol/ Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2017
Drawing of M peytonorum by © Paul Ormerod and Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 415 fig 30 Ormerod 2005
Drawing of M peytonorum subsp. juxtasilvae
Drawing of M peytonorum subsp. juxtasilvae by © Paul Ormerod and Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 169 fig 25 Ormerod 2007
Drawing of erythrodes ovata by © Foldats 1969
Drawing by © Dunsterville & Garay and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Common Name The Ovate Microchilus [refers to the leaves? Lip apex? or Lip lateral lobes? or the 2 ovate calli?]
Flower Size .12" [3 mm]
Found in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia in cool, wet cloud forests at elevations around 2500 meters as a medium sized [in flower], cold growing terrestrial with a decumbent, becoming erect, terete, pubescent above the leaves, glabrous below stem carrying 5, spiraling up the stem, well spaced, ovate, acute, velvety green above, smooth somewhat greyish green beneath, petiolate base leaves that blooms on an erect, terminal, racemose, long pedunculate, pubescent, to 8" [20 cm] long, rachis pubescent, initially club-like elongating and becoming cylindric with age, successively several, many flowered inflorescence with ovate, obtuse, pubescent, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying small, tubular, spirally arranged flowers
CAUTION I have no way of verifying this determination, Kew says the orchid is from Colombia Peru and Bolivia, Dunsterville says it is from Colombia, Venezuela and Peru. Ormerod separated the Peruvian species under the synonum M peytoniorum. Then there is Foldats with another totally different species with a lip with 2 ovate calli on the trilobed lip with short ovate lateral lobes. I feel that the Dunsterville and the later Szlachetko & Kolanowski drawings and description may apply to another Microchilus. I have presented drawings of all the concepts above. More research is nessesary. Please use with caution!!!!
Synonyms Erythrodes ovata (Lindl.) Ames 1922; Microchilus peytonorum Ormerod 2005; Microchilus peytonorum subsp. juxtasilvae Ormerod 2007; *Physurus ovatus Lindl. 1840
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 502 Lindley 1840 as Physurus ovatus
*Syn. Plant. 5: 166 D Dietr. 1852
Studies in the family Orchidaceae Vol VII: 74 Ames 1922 as Erythrodes ovata;
Orchids of Peru Vol 1: 159 Schweinfurth 1958 as Erythrodes ovata;
Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Vol 3 Dunsterville & Garay 1965 as Erythrodes ovatus drawing fide;
Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 1 1969 as Erythrodes ovata drawing fide;
Macchu Picchu Orchids Christenson 2003 as Erythrodes ovata
Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 416 Ormerod 2005 as Microchilus peytonorum
Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 415 fig 30 Ormerod 2005 as Microchilus peytonorum drawing fide
Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 167 Ormerod 2007 as Microchilus peytonorum subsp. juxtasilvae
Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 169 fig 25 Ormerod 2007 as Microchilus peytonorum subsp. juxtasilvae drawing fide
Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 1: 297 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2017 drawing fide
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