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178 FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 28
versely cuneate-trapeziform with a broad truncate-concave apex when
viewed from above. Column of the genus (Fig. 30).
Type in Herb. Ames no. 64847, isotype in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist.
Mus., no. 1221980, rich forest on slopes near summit of Cerro San
Isidro, above La Carbonera, state of Me'rida, alt. 2430-2745 m., April
22, 1944, Julian A. Steyermark 56034, "epiphyte on trunk of Ladenbergia
undata, leaves fleshy subcoriaceous, dull green above, pale
below"; same data, Steyermark 56031.
This species appears to be allied to the Ecuadorian Stelis lancea
Lindl., but differs in its very unequal sepals and simple lip.
Lepanthes exilis C. Schweinfurth, sp. nov.
Herba epiphytica, caespitosa. Caules numerosi, pertenues, apice
unifoliati, pluriarticulati, vaginis arctis glabris tubulatis omnino
tecti. Folium lanceolatum vel elliptico-lanceolatum, acuminatum
cum apice acriter tridenticulato, breviter petiolatum. Inflorescentiae
axillares, saepissime plures, diffusae, multiflorae, quam folium plusminusve
longiores. Flores parvi, membranacei, glabri. Sepalum
dorsale ovatum, acutum, concavum. Sepala lateralia in laminam late
ovatam profunde bidentatam connata. Petala perparva, transverse
oblonga cum lobo posteriore subquadrato-oblongo comparate longo et
lobo anteriore minuto, triangular!. Labellum petala subaequans, 3-
lobatum; lobi laterales comparate magni, late flabellati; lobus medius
minutus, villosus. Columna generis.
Plant epiphytic, caespitose. Roots fibrous, glabrous, filiform,
numerous. Rhizome abbreviated. Stems numerous, very slender,
1-leaved at the apex, several- (up to 14-) jointed, entirely concealed
by close tubular glabrous sheaths which terminate in ovate spreading
marginate, minutely hispid mouths, about 5 (rarely) -13 cm. long.
Leaf very shortly petioled; lamina lanceolate to elliptic -lanceolate
(often narrowly so), coriaceous, acuminate to a sharply tridenticulate
apex, shortly cuneate below, 3*1-6.5 cm. long, up to 1.3 cm. or less
wide; petiole about 5 mm. or less long. Inflorescences axillary,
solitary to about 15, diffuse, laxly or subdensely many-flowered,
surpassing the leaf (sometimes nearly three times as long). Floral
bracts minute, infundibuliform. Flowers very small, membranaceous.
Sepals distinctly connate below, tawny yellow with pale yellow
margins. Dorsal sepal ovate, acute, concave, 3-nerved, up to 4 mm.
long and 2.2 mm. wide when expanded. Lateral sepals with their
inner margins connate to half their length, each sepal very obliquely
ovate, acute, 2-nerved; lamina of lateral sepals broadly ovate, about
3.4 mm. long from the outer point of union with the dorsal sepal to
the tip and 2.9 mm. wide near the base. Petals much smaller than
the sepals, vermilion-orange, transverse, bilobed, about 0.8 mm. long
and 1.9 mm. wide; posterior lobe much the larger, oblong-subquadrate
with a very oblique obtuse apex; anterior lobe very small, triangular,
obtuse. Lip adnate to the middle of the column, 3-lobed, orchid-rose;
lateral lobes relatively large, broadly flabellate, the apex broadened