Orectanthe

<<<<Sepals>Petals>Corolla>Shape>Colour

yellow (rarely reddish)1

1. 004-003-002-001-002

<<<<Sepals>Petals>Corolla>Shape>Growth form

spreading2

2. 004-003-002-001-001

<<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Lower lobes>Growth form

spreading outward, forward, slightly down and forming the lower lip3

3. 004-003-003-004-002

<<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Lower lobes>Lobe number

24

4. 004-003-003-004-001

<<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Upper lobes>Shape

forming a hood5

5. 004-003-003-003-001

<<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stigma>Position

terminal6

6. 004-006-001-002-001

<<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stigma>Shape

patelliform, papillose, later fimbriolate7

7. 004-006-001-002-002

<<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stylar appendages>Length

2-2.4 cm long8

8. 004-006-001-003-003

<<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stylar appendages>Position

arising from ovary summit around style base9

9. 004-006-001-003-002

<<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stylar appendages>Shape

linear, firm, doubled back to form an inverted "U"10

10. 004-006-001-003-001

<<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape>Length

2-4 mm11

11. 005-005-002-001

<<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape>Lobes

1 edge forming a narrow, ascending thumb-like lobe12

12. 005-005-002-003

<<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape>Surfaces

surface finely curved-striate13

13. 005-005-002-004

<<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape>Wings

edged with a broad wing around embryo14

14. 005-005-002-002

<<<Scapes>Outer bracts>Floral bracts>Relative dimensions

much shorter than sepals15

15. 003-006-003-001

<<<Scapes>Outer bracts>Floral bracts>Shape

ovate to broadly lanceolate16

16. 003-006-003-002

<<<Scapes>Spikes>Shape>Width

5-10 cm broad17

17. 003-005-002-001

<<<Sepals>Petals>Corolla>Length

to 6 cm long18

18. 004-003-002-002

<<<Sepals>Petals>Corolla>Shape

-excurved, , two-lipped19

19. 004-003-002-001

<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Lobe number

trilobed20

20. 004-003-003-002

<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Lower lobes

the lower21

21. 004-003-003-004

<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Relative dimensions

about as long as excurved tube and throat22

22. 004-003-003-001

<<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs>Upper lobes

upper lobe largest, broadest,23

23. 004-003-003-003

<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Shape

elongate, apically curved24

24. 004-006-001-001

<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stigma

with , , stigma25

25. 004-006-001-002

<<<Sepals>Placenta>Style>Stylar appendages

stylar appendages , and26

26. 004-006-001-003

<<<Sepals>Stamens>Anthers>Length

ca. 1 cm long27

27. 004-005-004-001

<<<Sepals>Stamens>Filaments>Relative dimensions

longer than anthers28

28. 004-005-003-001

<<Capsules>Seeds>Colour

lustrous brown29

29. 005-005-003

<<Capsules>Seeds>Seed number

numerous30

30. 005-005-001

<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape

irregularly curvate-triangular, , , ,31

31. 005-005-002

<<Capsules>Valves>Shape

tips shallowly bilobed32

32. 005-004-001

<<Habit>Stems>Shape

elongate33

33. 001-003-001

<<Leaves>Blade>Shape

linear, lingulate to flat, finely multiveined, apically sharply subulate34

34. 002-002-001

<<Leaves>Margins>Margin type

entire aging lacerate35

35. 002-003-001

<<Leaves>Shape>Colour

maroon or red-brown patch36

36. 002-001-002

<<Leaves>Shape>Length

5-40 cm37

37. 002-001-001

<<Scapes>Outer bracts>Bract number per whorl

338

38. 003-006-002

<<Scapes>Outer bracts>Floral bracts

floral bracts , .39

39. 003-006-003

<<Scapes>Outer bracts>Whorl number

1(-2)40

40. 003-006-001

<<Scapes>Spikes>Flower number

multiflorous41

41. 003-005-001

<<Scapes>Spikes>Shape

hemispheric to broadly turbinate or globose, across spreading sepal tips42

42. 003-005-002

<<Sepals>Petals>Corolla

forming a corolla43

43. 004-003-002

<<Sepals>Petals>Limbs

limb , , , ;44

44. 004-003-003

<<Sepals>Petals>Shape

connate45

45. 004-003-001

<<Sepals>Placenta>Style

style , , .46

46. 004-006-001

<<Sepals>Stamens>Anthers

anthers ;47

47. 004-005-004

<<Sepals>Stamens>Filaments

filaments ,48

48. 004-005-003

<<Sepals>Stamens>Position

adnate to upper corolla tube49

49. 004-005-002

<<Sepals>Stamens>Stamen number

350

50. 004-005-001

<<Sepals>Staminodes>Staminode number

none51

51. 004-004-001

<Capsules>Length

1.5-2 cm52

52. 005-003

<Capsules>Lobe number

trilobed53

53. 005-002

<Capsules>Seeds

seeds , , .54

54. 005-005

<Capsules>Shape

ovoid to obovoid55

55. 005-001

<Capsules>Valves

valves thick, ;56

56. 005-004

<Habit>Height

0.5-2 m high57

57. 001-002

<Habit>Stems

stems either short, stout, producing dense basal rosettes, or lax, decumbent, and cloaked by higher, looser spirals of leaves.58

58. 001-003

<Habit>Texture

smooth59

59. 001-001

<Leaves>Blade

blades variably60

60. 002-002

<Leaves>Margins

margins thin, .61

61. 002-003

<Leaves>Shape

narrowly panduriform, , firm, bases dilated, clasping with a broad,62

62. 002-001

<Scapes>Length

0.2-2 m63

63. 003-003

<Scapes>Outer bracts

outer bracts in whorls of , often empty,64

64. 003-006

<Scapes>Scape number

1-several65

65. 003-001

<Scapes>Shape

terete66

66. 003-002

<Scapes>Spikes

spikes burr-like, , ;67

67. 003-005

<Scapes>Thickness

to 2 cm thick at base68

68. 003-004

<Sepals>Petals

petals , unequal, ,69

69. 004-003

<Sepals>Placenta

placentation axile,70

70. 004-006

<Sepals>Sepal number

371

71. 004-001

<Sepals>Shape

subequal, lanciform-navicular, acuminate, the laterals with broad curved keel, the third thinner and without keel72

72. 004-002

<Sepals>Stamens

stamens , ,73

73. 004-005

<Sepals>Staminodes

staminodes ;74

74. 004-004

Capsules

Capsule , , ,75

75. 005

Description

Coarse, smooth, perennials 0.5-2 m high; stems either short, stout, producing dense basal rosettes, or lax, decumbent, elongate and cloaked by higher, looser spirals of leaves. Leaves polystichous, narrowly panduriform, 5-40 cm, firm, bases dilated, clasping with a broad, maroon or red-brown patch, blades variably linear, lingulate to flat, finely multiveined, apically sharply subulate, margins thin, entire aging lacerate. Scapes 1-several from axils of upper leaves, fistulose, terete, 0.2-2 m, to 2 cm thick at base; spikes burr-like, multiflorous, hemispheric to broadly turbinate or globose, 5-10 cm broad across spreading sepal tips; outer bracts in 1(-2) whorls of 3, often empty, floral bracts much shorter than sepals, ovate to broadly lanceolate. Sepals 3, subequal, lanciform-navicular, acuminate, the laterals with broad curved keel, the third thinner and without keel; petals connate, unequal, forming a spreading-excurved, yellow (rarely reddish), two-lipped corolla to 6 cm long, limb about as long as excurved tube and throat, trilobed, upper lobe largest, broadest, forming a hood, the lower 2spreading outward, forward, slightly down and forming the lower lip; staminodes none; stamens 3, adnate to upper corolla tube, filaments longer than anthers, anthers ca. 1 cm long; placentation axile, style elongate, apically curved, with terminal, patelliform, papillose, later fimbriolate, stigma, stylar appendages linear, firm, doubled back to form an inverted "U", arising from ovary summit around style base and 2-2.4 cm long. Capsule ovoid to obovoid, trilobed, 1.5-2 cm, valves thick, tips shallowly bilobed; seeds numerous, irregularly curvate-triangular, 2-4 mm, edged with a broad wing around embryo, 1 edge forming a narrow, ascending thumb-like lobe, surface finely curved-striate, lustrous brown.

Distribution

S Venezuela present, SW Guyana present, Southern America: Brazil North (Amazonas present, Roraima present), contiguous highland Brazil present

S Venezuela from Amazonas E into SW Guyana and in contiguous highland Brazil on the Roraima sandstones, usually in boggy pockets amongst rocks and in full sun, at medium to high elevations, 500-2700 m.

Habit

Coarse, , perennials ;76

76. 001

Leaves

Leaves polystichous, , ,77

77. 002

Scapes

Scapes from axils of upper leaves, fistulose, , , ;78

78. 003

Sepals

Sepals , ;79

79. 004

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