Scaphosepalum rapax Luer 1976 SECTION Leiocaulium Luer 1988
Photo courtesy of Lourens Grobler ©
Photo courtesy of © Milan Vágner.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer

to
to
Common Name The Predatory Beast Scaphosepalum [refers to the appearance of the flower]
Flower Size .2" [1 cm]
Found in central Ecuador in wet montane forests at elevations of 450 to 1200 meters as a mini-miniature sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte with erect to suberect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute leaf that is cuneate below to the slender petiole that blooms on aloose to subdense, successively few flowered, 1 3/5" [4 cm] long, racemose inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with oblique, apiculate, minutely spicate floral bracts.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol V Systematics of Dresslerella and Scaphosepalum Luer 1988 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 64 No 3 1995; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 5 Dodson 2004 photo fide;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------