Pleurothallis vestigipetala Luer 1977 SUBGENUS Aenigma SECTION Aenigmata Luer 1986
Photo by Ecuagenera and their Orchid Website
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Vestigal Petaled Pleurothallis [refers tothe almost non-existent petals]
Found in Ecuador in trees along streams at elevations of 2400 to 3000 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with a long-repent, branching rhizome giving rise to ascending ramicauls enveloped by 1 to 2 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, acute, gradually narrowing below into the subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring and fall on a filiform, loose, flexuous, racemose, .4 to 2" [1 to 5cm] long, successively few flowered inflorescence arising from a node on the ramicaul.
Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]
Synonyms Andinia vestigipetala (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase 2001; Lueranthos vestigipetalus (Luer) Szlach. & Marg. 2001
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Systematics of Pleurothallis Vol 3 Luer 1986 drawing fide; Orchids of Bolivia Vasquez & Ibisch Vol 1 2000 drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Dodson 2003 photo fide; Macchu Picchu Orchids Eric Christenson 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Lueranthos vestigipetalus;
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