Pleurothallis obovata (Lindl.) Lindl.

  • Authority

    Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.

  • Family

    Orchidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pleurothallis obovata (Lindl.) Lindl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants lithophytic or epiphytic, creeping, 7-28 cm tall. Roots numerous, slender, 1-1.5 mm diam. Stems (ramicauls) erect, 4-10 cm ong, partially covered by sheaths, unifoliate. Leaves apical, coriaceous, cuneate, oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, obtuse to rounded, apices keeled, 3.7-10 cm long, 1-2.6 cm wide. Inflorescences short-pedunculate, racemes capillary, fascicled, spreading, produced from near leaf base, 2-6-flowered, shorter than the leaves; floral bracts acute or apiculate, 2.5-3 mm long. Flowers yellowish white, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary 2-3 mm long. Sepals free; dorsal sepal elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, 4-5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide; lateral sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 4-5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide. Petals lanceolate, long-acuminate, 3-4 mm long, 0.7-1.0 m wide. Lip simple, hinged and attached to a short column foot, arched, narrowly oblong-oblanceolate, acute, 2-.8 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide. Column clavate, apically winged, 1.4-2 mm long; clinandrium toothed; pollinia clavate. Fruits subspherical, 3-5 mm long. Chromosomes: 2n = 42, 43, 45 (Nakata & Hashimoto, 1983).

  • Discussion

    5. Pleurothallis obovata (Lindley) Lindley, Edward's Bot. Reg. 28: Misc. 75. 1842. Specklinia obovata Lindley, Edward's Bot. Reg. 25: Misc. 86. 1839. Type. C. Wright 655, from eastern Cuba, 1856-1857 (holotype, K-L; isotype, K ). Phenology & Pollination. The flowering phenology, pollinators, and breeding system are unknown. Taxonomic Notes. In Lindley's 1842 protologue, Brazil is recorded as the place of origin. But his entry for P. obovata in Folia Orchidaceae (Pleurothallis, 22. 1859) states, "not [in] Brazil as far as at present known." Clearly, Lindley was correcting a mistake. Illustrations. Foldats, 1970; Dunsterville & Garay, 1979.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Cuba, Hispaniola, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and tropical South America.

    Cuba South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Nicaragua Central America| Puerto Rico South America| South America|