Stelis fons-stellarum Luer & R.Vásquez 2018 SECTION Stelis

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and Selbyana 32(1,2): 49 Luer & Vasquez 2018

EARLY

Common Name The Fountain of Stars Stelis [alluding to the numerous tiny flowers]

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in La Paz department of Bolivia at elevations around 1800 meters as a miniature sized, cool growing, repent epiphyte with erect, relatively stout ramicauls enveloped by a tubular sheath below the middle and 1 to 2 at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical-linear, acute, gradually narrowing below into the narrow sessile base leaf that blooms in the early summer on 1 to 2, erect, through a spathe from a node below the apex of the ramicaul, peduncle 1.6 to 2.4" [4 to 6 cm] long, rachis 2.4 to 4.8" [6 to 12 cm] long, erect, strict, congested, simultaneously many flowered inflorescence with oblique, acute, as long as the ovary floral bracts and carrying flowers with greenish white sepals, purple brown petals and a purple brown lip.

"This stoutly repent species is characterized by narrowly linearleaves surpassed by one or two multiflowered, distichous racemes of closely and evenly spaced, tiny flowers that resembles showers of microscopic stars. The sepals are obtuse and the petals are three-veined. The lip is type A, obtuse, and without a distinct callus on the dorsum." Luer & Vasquez 2018

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Selbyana 32(1,2): 49 Luer & Vasquez 2018

Selbyana 32(1,2): 140 Luer & Vasquez 2018 Drawing fide

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