Promenaea stapelioides (Lindley) Lindl. 1843

Photo by © Eric Hunt

Floral Closeup

Photo by © Patricia Harding

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Common Name The Stapelia-Like Promenaea

Flower Size almost 2" [5 cm]

Native from Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo states of Brazil in the cool montane southern forests mostly on trees but also on damp rocks in shady positions at moderate elevations , this small sized, cold to cool growing, epiphytic plant develops clusters of small, rounded, ribbed pseudobulbs with 2, ovate-lanceolate to oblong-ligulate, papillose, grey green, acuminate leaves that are canoe shaped and are attenuate basally. One or two flowers are produced on a 2" [5 cm] long, pendant stem that arises from the base of the psuedobulbs. They are quite large for the size of the plant. The sepals and petals are greenish yellow, heavily barred and spotted with deep purple. The lip is dark purple, almost black. This hot to cool growing epiphyte grows well in hanging baskets will fast draining medium with moderate shade bright indirect light and cool to warm conditions and always keeping moist. The orchid is late spring and summer flowering and the waxy flowers are sweetly fragrant.

Synonyms *Cymbidium stapelioides Link & Otto 1828; Maxillaria stapelioides {Link & Otto] Lindl. 1832; Peristeria stapelioides Lindl. 1832; Promenaea stapelioides var heteroptera Rchb.f 1883; Promenaea stapelioides var malmquistiana Schlechter 1921; Promenaea stapelioides var macrantha Hoehne 1952; Zygopetalum stapelioides Rchb. f. 1861; Zygopetalum stapelioides Klotzsch ex Rchb. f. 1863; Zygopetalum stapelioides Nichols. 1901

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 drawing fide; Iconografia de Orchidaceae Do Brasil Hoehne 1949 drawing fide; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VII 115-147 Hoehne 1953 drawing fide; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VII 115-147 Hoehne 1953 as P stapelioides var heteroptera; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VII 115-147 Hoehne 1953 as P stapelioides var macranthaAOS Bulletin Vol 30 No 5 1961 photo fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Orchidaceae Brasilenses Band 2 Pabst & Dungs 1977 drawing fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 27 1648 - 1712 Brieger 1993 photo good; Orchids of the High Mountain Atlantic Rainforest in SE Brazil Warren & Miller 1994; Orchid Australia Vol 12 No 3 2000 photo; Orchids Australia Vol 13 No 2 2001 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 9 2004 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 4 2007 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 82 #10 2013 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol #9 2019 photo fide;

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