Microchilus whitefoordiae Ormerod 2007

TYPE Drawing by Paul Ormerod and Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 175 fig 33 Ormerod 2007

LATE EARLY

Common Name Whitefoord Microchilus [Caroline Whitefoord British Botanist CoCollector of the type current

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in Chiriqui department of Panama in cloud forests at elevations around 1000 to 1260 meters as a medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with a creeping rhizome giving rise to an a terete, stem carrying 3 to 7, ovate-elliptic, subacuminate, with indistinct to distinct dark green markings, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the late winter and early spring on an erect, pubescent, terminal, pubescent, 8.04 to 12.12" [20.1 to 30.3 cm] long, peduncle 4.6 to 8.12" [11.5 to 20.3 cm] long, provided with 4 to 7, the lowest one subfoliaceous, upper 3 to 5 ovate-lanceolate sheathing bracts, rachis 1.4" to 3.2" [3.5 to 8 cm] long, sublaxly many flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, acute, greenish cream, a bit longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying externally pubescent, white flowers.

"This species is closely related to its Mesoamerican congener M vesicifer from which it may be distinguished by the finer green markings on the leaves and flowers which have narrower petals (1 to 1.5 vs. 2 mm) and narrower oblongoid (not ellipsoid) spur." Ormerod 2007

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 173 Ormerod 2007

Harvard Pap. Bot. 11: 175 fig 33 Ormerod 2007 drawing fide;

Materials to the Orchid Flora of Colombia Vol 1: 354 Szlachetko & Kolanowska 2017 drawing fide;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------