Orchidaceae
Lepanthes
Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Valid
Morphological Description
Diagnosis:
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1
1’
2
2’
Vegetative Morphology
Habit: Miniature caespitose or sometimes trailing-pendent epiphytes. Ramicauls usually erect, concealed by characteristic funnel-shaped sheaths with ciliate margins (“lepanthiform”).
Leaves: Leaves one per ramicaul, infrequently patterned.
Reproductive Morphology
Inflorescence: Inflorescences terminal scapose racemes, successively one to many-flowered, often fractiflex, often borne under the back of the leaf, the peduncle usually filiform.
Flowers: Flowers intricate, small to minute although occasionally large compared with the plant size, frequently of saturated color, flat to deeply cupped. Sepals variously fused, the petals usually transverse, frequently lobed. Lip three-lobed, the lateral lobes usually much larger, erect, embracing the column, the midlobe reduced to a variously ornamented appendage. Column straight, apically club-shaped; pollinia 2, on a common minute viscidium.
Other
Notes: There are several undescribed species of Lepanthes in the flora.