Pleurothallis gracilenta Luer & R.Vásquez 1981

SUBGENUS Specklinia SECTION Alatae Luer 1986 TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

EARLY

Common Name The Narrowing Pleurothallis [refers to the vegetative and floral parts]

Flower Size .2" [5 mm]

Found in Bolivia at elevations around 2550 meters as a mini-miniature to miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by a thin tubular sheath below the middle and 2 to 3 others at the base and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, semi-terete, narrowly linear, acute, gradually narrowing below into the subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the early summer on a loose, subsecund, .4 to .8" [1 to 2 cm] long including the .2" [5 mm] long peduncle, simultaneously few flowered inflorescence arising through a spathe from an annulus just below the apex of the ramicaul.

Characterized by the denely caespitose habit with narrowly terete leaves, acuminate sepals and long-acuminate petals. Vegetatively it is similar to Synonyms Anathallis gracilenta (Luer & R.Vásquez) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Specklinia gracilenta (Luer & R.Vásquez) Luer 2004

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol III Luer 1986; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XVIII Systematics of Pleurothallis subsection Antenniferae, Longiracemosae, Macrophyllae-Racemosae and Subgenera Pseudsostelis and Acuminata Luer 1999 drawing fide; Orchids of Bolivia Vol 1 Pleurothallidinae Vasquez & Ibisch 2000 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVI Luer 2004 as Specklinia gracilenta;

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