Authority:

Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.

Family:

Orchidaceae

Description:

Genus Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic herbs. Leaves cauline, usually strongly veined, plicate. Inflorescences terminal racemes or densely flowered heads. Flowers few to many, distichous to spiral, sometimes densely congested into a head, usually with prominent bracts; sepals subequal, free or the lateral sepals connate; petals subequal to but usually narrower than sepals; lip adnate to column and usually enclosing it, subequal to or exceeding sepals, gibbous-concave at base, with basal pair of large, subovoid calli; column erect, footless; pollinia 8, subceraceous.

Discussion:

Elleanthus sp. 1

Epiphyte with erect stems to 77 cm tall. Leaves 7 or 8, borne towards stem apex, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, to 18 X 3.5 cm, the internodes 4-5 cm long. Inflorescences terminal, sessile, congested, cone-like racemes, bent at the base, to 6 cm long, the floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 3X1.2 cm. Fl (Jul). The only specimen of this species from Saul {Freiberg 34, at B) has flowers insufficiently preserved for determination