Pleurothallis candida Luer & Hirtz 1999 SUBGENUS Acuminatia SECTION Acuminatae Luer 1986

TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The White Pleurothallis

Flower Size .2” [5mm]

Found in Puno department of Peru at elevations of 2350 to 3400 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls with 2 to 3, blackish, tubular sheaths below the middle and at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute to obtuse apically, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a congested, secund, 2.4 to 4.4” [6 to 11 cm] long including the .8 to 1.2” [2 to 3 cm] long, peduncle, simultaneously many flowered inflorescence arising through a narrow spathe from an annulus situated below the apex of the ramicaul.

Similar to P acuminata but is distinguished by the congested, secund inflorescence of white flowers with oblong, obtuse sepals that are not acuminate and the erect sides and the midline callus of the lip.

Synonyms Anathallis candida (Luer & Hirtz) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Specklinia candida (Luer & Hirtz) Luer 2004

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XVIII Systematics of Pleurothallis subsection Antenniferae, Longiracemosae, Macrophyllae-Racemosae and Subgenera Pseudsostelis and Acuminata Luer 1999 drawing fide; Macchu Picchu Orchids Eric Christenson 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Systematics of Pleurothallis Vol XXVI Luer 2004 as Specklinia candida; LANKESTERIANA 13(3): 319—332 Kerremans 2014 as Stelis candida

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