Stelis brittoniana Rolfe 1895 SECTION Humboldtia

Drawing by © Carl Luer and Selbyana 32(1,2): 23 Luer & Vasquez 2018

Common Name Britton's Stelis [Co founder of the New York Botanical Gardens 1859 - 1934]

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in La Paz department of Bolivia and Peru at elevations of 2300 to 3100 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing ascending epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped by a tubular sheath below the middle and 2 others below and at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, acute, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the summer on 1 to 3, erect, arising through a slender spathe from a node below the apex of the ramicaul, congested, distichous, peduncle to 2" [5 cm] long, rachis 2.4 to 3.6" [6 to 9 cm] long, mostly simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with oblique, acute, with shorter than to as long as the ovary floral bracts.

"This species is characterized by an ascending, repent rhizome, slender ramicauls as long as an elliptical leaf that is surpassed by a many-flowered raceme. The lateral sepals are connate into a deep, ovoid, broadly obtuse synsepal. The lip is similar to that of Stelis tenuicaulis Lindl., being smooth below a rounded bar. A faint outline of a glenion can be seen, if sought. Stelis brittoniana Rolfe is closely allied to S. tenuicaulis Lindl., but is dis-tinguished by a stronger, ascending habit with ramicauls more or less stouter, and about as long as slightly broader leaves, and obtuse, instead of acute, dorsal sepal and synsepal. " Luer & Vasquez 2018

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Selbyana 32(1,2): 23 Luer & Vasquez 2018

Selbyana 32(1,2): 131 Luer & Vasquez 2018 Drawing fide

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