Pleurothallis gelida 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 gelida Lindl.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Plants epiphytic, robust, caespitose, 30-60 cm tall. Roots white, very numerous, slender, 1 mm diam. Stems (ramicauls) erect, mostly of 2-3 internodes and partially concealed by scarious tubular sheaths, unifoliate, 5-24 cm long. Leaves apical; petioles 2-4 cm long; blades coriaceous, cuneate, oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 8-25 cm long, 3.5-8 cm wide. Inflorescences terminal, solitary or to 3 and asciculate, slender, rachis 0.5-1 mm diam.; subtendingsheath conduplicate, scarious, 1.5-2.5 cm long; peduncles 2.5-3.5 cm long; racemes slender, distichous, 5-25 cm long, manyflowered; floral bracts inconspicuous, 1-2 mm long. Flowers translucent, pale yellow-green, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary 4-5 mm long. Sepals internally (adaxially) puberulent; dorsal sepal narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, 7-9 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; lateral sepals connate to their middle, the halves lanceolate elliptic, acuminate, 7-9 mm long, 4-5 mm wide below the middle. Petals spatulate-obovate, truncate, apically denticulate, 3-4.5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide. Lip attached to short column foot, arched, oblong, obtuse, 2.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, disc with a pair of longitudinal keels. Column slender, 2.5 mm long; clinandrium toothed; anther white; pollinia 2, yellow, hard, waxy. Fruits ellipsoidal, 5-10 mm long. Chromosomes: 2n = 32, 64 (Nakata & Hashimoto, 1983).

  • Discussion

    4. Pleurothallis gelida Lindley, Edward's Bot. Reg. 27: Misc. 91. 1841. Type. Loddiges s.n., from Jamaica (holotype, K-L). Pleurothallis univaginata Lindley, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 3, 1: 326. 1858. Type. C. Wright 656, from L o m a del Gato, Cuba (holotype, K-L, not seen; isotypes, N Y , not seen, P H , photograph seen). Phenology & Pollination. Flowering occurs in the winter months. Its breeding system and pollinators are unknown.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida (U.S.A.), Greater Antilles, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Collected from Adjuntas, Cayey, Lares, Maricao, Orocovis, and Quebradillas. Habitat. Epiphytic or lithophytic in moist to wet forests at middle to high elevations (400-800 m); rare.

    Belize Central America| Costa Rica South America| Ecuador South America| El Salvador Central America| United States of America North America| Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Panama Central America| Venezuela South America|