Pleurothallis macrophylla Kunth 1816
Common Name The Large Leaf Pleurothallis
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of 800 to 3000 meters as a large sized, warm to cold growing epiphyte with atout, erect ramicauls enveloped by a spotted, tubular sheath below the middle and 2 other spotted ones at the base. and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, acute, sessile, cuneate below into the sessile base leaf that blooms in the winte and spring on a suberect to arching, arising through a slender, long spathe, peduncle 3.6 to 4" [9 to 10 cm] long, rachis 6 to 6.4" [15 to 16 cm] long, loose, secund, simultaneously several flowered inflorescence with infundibular, acute, much shorter than the pedicel floral bracts.
Said to be a synonym of Pleurothallis restrepioides Lindl. 1837 but I feel there are enough differences to keep them separate.
CAUTION For years this species has been confused with the very different Pleurothallis ruscifolia, Pleurothallis floribunda characterized by several, short racemes of small flowers.
Synonyms Elongatia macrophylla (Kunth) Luer 2004; Humboltia macrophylla (Kunth) Kuntze 1891; Pleurothallis laurifolia Rchb.f. 1854; Pleurothallis pittieri Schltr. 1907; Pleurothallis pluriracemosa Garay 1953; Stelis macrophylla (Kunth) ined.;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
*F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 365 1816;
Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as P roezli;
Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 photo fide;
Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVI Luer 2004 as Elongatia macrophylla;
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