Stanhopea avicula Dressler 1989 SUBGENUS Stanhopeastrum

Plant and Inflorescence Photos Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Common Name The Small Bird Stanhopea [refers to the profile of the epichile of the lip]

Flower Size 1.6 to 2" [4 to 5 cm]

Found in the Darien Panama and northwestern Colombia at elevations of 250 to 1500 meters as a medium, sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with clustered, ovate, strongly ribbed and furrowed with age pseudobulbs carrying a single apical, erect, plicate, lanceolate, acute, gradually narrowing into the channeled, petiolate base leaf that blooms in the winter on a pendent, basal, 2 to 3.6" [5 t o9 cm] long, 2 flowered inflorescence enveloped by large, triangular, acute bracts and carrying flowers that are held lip to lip.

Synonyms Stanhopeastrum aviculum (Dressler) Szlach.2007

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 4 COS 1992 photo fide; Schlechteriana Vol 4 No 4 1993 photo page 66 wrong as S avicula, correct S cirrhata, next page S cirrhata is correct; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 37/38 pg 2309 - 2436 Brieger 1999; Caesiana 21 Stanhopea Part 1 Jenny 2003 photo/drawing fide;

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