Orchidmania, Aout 2010
Full shade, cool to intermediary temperature, flower in winter to spring
This is a small sized, Ecuadorian and Colombian, epiphytic or terrestrial species found on steep embankments at an altitude of 1000-2500 meters in very wet montane cloud forests with an elongate, stem enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, cordate leaf and blooms in the winter and spring on an apical, short to 1" [2.5 cm], fasciculate, successively single flowered inflorescence arising from a spathe, that holds the flower close to the leaf base.
Distinguished by its large habit, large spreading, deeply cordate leaf and a large colorful flower with obtuse and multiveined seplas, broad, convex, and mostly glabrous except for the microscopically cellular-glandularmargins and a transversely obovoid lip with a protruding, pouch-like apex. Similar to the related P marthae but it has rugose-verrucose lipand spiculate petals.
