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(Last Modified On 11/8/2012)
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(Last Modified On 11/8/2012)
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Genus
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STELIS Swartz
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PlaceOfPublication
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Schrader's Jour. f. Bot. 2:239. 1799
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Reference
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Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21:248. 1800
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Synonym
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Humbolta Ruiz & Pavon, Fl. Peruv. et Chil. Prodr. 121, pI. 27. 1794, non Vahl.
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Description
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Small to fairly large epiphytic herbs with caespitose or repent stems; secondary stems terminated by a single, usually fleshy, often petiolate leaf. Sepals subequal or the dorsal longest, more or less connate at the base, the laterals sometimes connate to their tips (S. Allenii). Petals much smaller than the sepals, broad, often flabel- late, anterior margin usually thickened. Lip sessile, simple or 3-lobed, usually fleshy and about as long as the column. Column short, footless; stigmas confluent or separated. Anther terminal, operculate, incumbent, biloculate; pollinia 2, ceraceous.
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Note
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A difficult genus to study because the petals and lip are usually very small and often extremely fleshy.
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Key
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a. Lateral sepals conspicuously shorter than the dorsal sepal, connate to the middle or beyond. b. Lip ovate with the thick central callus concave in front .................... 3. S. DESPECTANS bb. Lip not ovate, without a thickened central callus. c. Dorsal sepal more than 10 mm.-long, lanceolate ................................ 1. S. ALLENII cc. Dorsal sepal less than 5 mm. long, oblong ................................2. S. INAEQUALIS aa. Lateral sepals not conspicuously shorter than the dorsal sepal, connate only at their bases. b. Lip up to more than twice as long as broad. c. Dorsal sepal 3.5 mm. or more broad; leaves 3 cm. or more broad-....................................................................................................... 5. S. MONTANA cc. Dorsal sepal less than 3 mm. broad; leaves 2 cm. or less broad. d. Sepals 4 mm. or more long, lanceolate-ovate to oblo'ng-lanceo- late, inner surface glandular-........................................................... 7. S. SKUTCHI dd. Sepals 3 mm. or less long, triangular to orbicular. e. Lip 1-1.5 mm. long; sepals triangular ........................................ 6. S. ATRORUBENS ee. Lip 0.5-0.6 mm. long; sepals ovate to orbicular ........................ 4. S. MICROCHILA bb. Lip about as long as broad or'broader than long. c. Lip produced into an apicule or acumen in front. d. Lip produced into a broad acumen, acumen not erect .................. 8. S. HYMENANTHA dd. Lip produced into an inconspicuous apicule (sometimes 3) or a fleshy erect apicule. e. Apicule fleshy, erect-...................................................................... 9. S. CRESCENTIICOLA ee. Apicule not fleshy, erect. f. Sepals 2-4 mm. long, usually 3-nerved .................................. 11. S. ENDRESII ff. Sepals 4-9 mm. long, usually 5-nerved .................................. 10. S. LEUCOPOGON* cc. Lip not produced into an apicule or acumen in front. d. Callus of the lip cruciform; bracts on rachis prominent, acute or acuminate ..............................................-..... 12. S. POWELLII dd. Callus of the lip not cruciform. e. Callus of'the lip longitudinal; lip with two minute auricles at the base; plants mostly less than 5 cm. tall .......................... 13. S. STORKII ee. Callus of the lip transverse; lip without auricles at the base; plants mostly more than 5 cm. tall. f. Inflorescence subequal to or shorter, or but slightly longer than the subtending leaves .............. ................... 14. S. MAXONI1 ........................................................... ... and 15. S. PANAMENSIS** ff. Inflorescence twice or more longer than the subtending leaves. g. Secondary stems usually 3 cm. long or longer. h. Sepals densely glandular-pubescent within .................... 16. S. VESTITA hh. Sepals not densely glandular-pubescent within, rarely pubescent ............... .............................................. 17. S. AEMULA gg. Secondary stems 3 cm. or less long. h. A callus-ridge running at right angles to the trans- verse callus toward base of lip .......................... 18. S. COLLINA hh. No callus-ridge running at right angles to the transverse callus. i. Sepals 3.5-4.5 mm. long ................................. ..... 19. S. WILLIAMSII ii. Sepals 1.5-2.5 mm. long. j. Bracts of the inflorescence almost contiguous ........ 17. S. AEMULA jj. Bracts of the inflorescence well separated .............. 20. S. LONGIPETIOLATA *These two species appear somewhat different but perhaps are not distinct. **S. panamensis would seem to key out here also, but the material available is so scanty that it can not be properly placed.
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