Pleurothallis soratana Rchb.f. 1881 SUBGENUS Specklinia SECTION Acuminatae Luer 1986

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

LATER EARLY

Common Name The Sorata Pleurothallis [a Community near where the species was collected]

Flower Size .2" [5mm]

Found in La Paz department of Bolivia at elevations of 2950 to 3300 meters as a mini-miniture to miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with slender, ascending-erect ramicauls enveloped by a tubular sheath above the middle and another below the middle and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, broadly elliptical, slightly obtuse to rounded apically, cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the later spring and early summer on a loose, subsecund, .6 to 1.2" [1.5 to 3 cm] long including the .4" [1 cm] long peduncle, simultaneously 2 to 3 flowered inflorescence arising through a spathe from an annulus below the apex of the ramicaul.

"Distinguished from its numerous close allies by the long-repent habit. The braodly elliptical leaves are shorter than the ramicauls, The inflorescence is a short, few flowered raceme arising from the base of the petiolate leaf. The three free sepals are narrowly ovate and the petals are elliptical with a rounded apex. The lip is ellitical with parallel calli that meet at the minutely verrucose apex." Luer 1999

Synonyms Anathallis soratana (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Humboltia soratana (Rchb.f.) Kuntze 1891; Specklinia soratana (Rchb.f.) Luer 2004 Stelis soratana (Rchb.f.) Karremans 2014

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 Vasquez & Ibisch Vol 1 2000 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVI Luer 2004 as Specklinia soratana; LANKESTERIANA 13(3): 319—332 Kerremans 2014 as Stelis soratana

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