Microchilus rioesmeraldae Ormerod 2005

TYPE Drawing Ormerod andHarvard Pap. Bot. 9: 418 fig 36 Ormerod 2005

Common NameThe Rio Esmeralda Microchilus

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in Cordoba department of Colombia at elevations around 200 to 300 meters as a miniature to small sized, hot growing terrestrial with a creeping, terete rhizome giving rise to an erect, terete stem carrying 6 to 7, erect-patent, evident median silver stripe, lanceolate, acute, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the winter on an erect, terminal, pubescent, 6.04" [15.1 cm] long, peduncle to 2.88" [7.2 cm] long, provided with 3, lower 2 subfoliaceous, sheathing bracts, rachis 3.16" [7.9 cm] long, laxly few flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, acute, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying externally pubescent flowers.

"This species appears to be related to the Peruvian M rioitayanus, but it differs from that in having leaves with a silver median stripe and in the flowers, which have an epichile with narrower ligulate lobules. In M. rioitayanus , the leaves are variegated greenish-white and the epichile has broader, ovate-oblong lobules." Ormerod 2005

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

*Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 420 Ormerod 2005

Harvard Pap. Bot. 9: 418 fig 36 Ormerod 2005 drawing fide;

Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 1: 290 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2017 drawing fide;

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