Stelis tolimensis Schltr. 1924 SECTION Stelis

Drawing by Oscar Duque

Common Name The Tolima Stelis [refers to the Department in Colombia where the orchid was discovered]

Flower Size

Found in Tolima department of Colombia at elevations around 1200 to 1800 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with stout, short, erect ramicauls enveloped by a 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, oblanceolate, subacute, tridenticulate, narrowing below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms on a single, much longer than the leaves, slender, peduncle 1.2" [3 cm] long rachis 30.8" [to 77 cm] long, erect, slender, strongly fractiflex, successively 1 to 2, many flowered inflorescence with triangular, acute, wide mouthed, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts and carrying patent, yelowish green flowers suffused with some pink in the central apparatus.

"Similar to Pleurothallis flexuosa but differs in the remarkably long floral spike and by the structure of the lip." Duque 2008

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 27: 157 Schlechter 1924; Orchidaceae Stelis sw. A Compendium Duque 2008 drawing fide;

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