Prescottia phleoides Lindl.

Azevedo, Cecília Oliveira De, Berg, Cássio Van Den & Barros, Fábio De, 2014, A revision of Prescottia (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae, Cranichideae), Phytotaxa 178 (4), pp. 233-286 : 267-270

12. Prescottia phleoides Lindl. , Gen . Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 453. 1840. [ Cogniaux 1895, Pabst & Dungs 1975]. Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: in campis ad Contentas, Martius s.n. (holotype M!; fragment of type W!). Fig. 27 .

Rupicolous to terrestrial herbs. Leaves 2–3, rosulate, sessile to pseudopetiolate; petiole green, (0.5)2.0–2.5(–5.0) cm long; blade green to deep green, (2.0–)3.5–5.5(–9.0) × (0.5–)0.8–1.5(–2.0) cm, oblong to lanceolate, apex acute, base attenuate, margin entire. Inflorescence dense, 30–80(–100)-flowered; peduncle green 9.5–18.0(–36.0) × 0.1–0.3 cm, cylindric; peduncle bracts 3–5, green, 10.0–45.0 × 4.0–8.0 mm, ovate, apex acuminate to acute; rachis 2.5–5.5(–7.0) × 0.7–1.3 cm, green. Flower bracts green, 4.5–5.9 × 1.3–1.7 mm, ovate, apex acuminate; flower erect; dorsal sepal whitish to green, reflexed to revolute, at least 3.0 × 1.5 mm, oblong to ovate, apex obtuse to acute; lateral sepals green to whitish, patent to adpressed to the lip, 2.5–3.7 × 1.7 mm, oblong, apex obtuse to acute; petals reflexed to revolute, whitish to green, at least 3.0 × 0.5 mm, linear, apex obtuse; lip yellow to green, 2.5–4.0 × 1.8–3.0 mm, inner surface glabrous, outer surface densely minute-papillose. Column up to 2.0 mm long, glabrous.

Distribution:— Restricted to Brazil, Goiás, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais ( Pabst &

Dungs 1975; Fig. 17 ).

Selected Specimens Examined:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Serra dos Pyreneos, 27 August 1895, Glaziou 22164 ( P00366693 , P00366694 , P00372002 ) . Espírito Santo: Castelo, Reserva Florestal de Forno Grande , 07 November 1991, Valpassos 32 ( MBML) . Minas Gerais: São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Parque Estadual de Rio Preto , 26 May 2007, Azevedo 344 ( HUEFS) . Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, estr. de Registro para Agulhas Negras , km 8, 26 April 1971, Sastre 1213 ( P) . São Paulo: Serra da Bocaina , 24 April 1951, Brade 20716 ( RB) .

Habitat:— Prescottia phloeoides grows on sandy soils in campos de altitude (high-elevation grasslands) of southeastern Brazil, 1,400–2,000 m.

Conservation Status:— Not endangered.

Notes:— Prescottia phleoides is characterized by its sessile to pseudopetiolate, oblong to lanceolate leaves, congested inflorescence with overlapping flowers and long floral bracts. This species is similar to P. mucugensis and P. leptostachya . It is more closely related to P. mucugensis , and their relationships are discussed under the description of that species ( Azevedo et al. 2010).

The holotype of P. phleoides is housed at M. It is annotated in Martius’s handwriting with the same information given in the protologue. There is a fragment of what appears to be the same material at W, with an illustration probably made by Martius. There is also an illustration of the type material at K-L made by Lindley.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Distribution of Prescottia glazioviana, P. leptostachya, P. mucugensis, P. ostenii, P. phleoides and P. spiranthophylla.

FIGURE 27. Prescottia phleoides. Drawn from fresh material. A. Habit. B,C. Flower. B Front view. C. Lateral view. D. Floral bract. E. Lip. F. Perianth parts, clockwise from top: lip, dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal. G–I. Column with pollinarium in place. G. Dorsal view. H. Ventral view. I. Lateral view. J. Pollinarium. (Azevedo 344).