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Stelis (an old Greek name used by Theophrastus for some parasitical plant). Orchidaceae. Epiphytic herbs, some of them adapted to the warmhouse and others to the intermediate house: sts. cespitose or creeping, with simple branches 1-lvd. at the tip and frequently 1-3-sheathed below the lf., not pseudobulbous: lvs. leathery, often contracted at the base to the petiole which is frequently concave or channeled and sometimes articulate near the base: fls. small to minute, short-pedicelled in an elongated raceme at the base of the terminal lf., secund, rarely somewhat distichous; bracts alternate, various; sepals frequently subequal, broad or triangular, spreading, more or less connate; petals much shorter, broad, the margins thickened; labellum sessile at the base of the column, equal and similar to the petals or narrower and sometimes shortly 3-lobed; column equaling or shorter than the labellum; pollinia 2: caps. small, ovoid or oblong, not beaked, often 3-edged.—About 200 species, Mex. and W. Indies southward to Brazil and Peru. Treatment the same as for Pleurothallis.
S. barbata, Rolfe, is a species differing from S. Endresii in having long-bearded sepals and a tridenticulate lip: its fls. are greenish ochre-yellow with purple hairs and red-purple blotches. Costa Rica.—S. Binotii, Wildem., grows about 2 in. high: lvs. thick, 2-3 in. long, deeply channeled above: racemes 1-3, many-fld.: fls. green, not spotted: sepals membranaceous: petals concave, very short: lip hooded, about as long as the petals. Brazil. –S.Bruchmuelleri, Reichb. f., has lvs. 1 1/2 - 2 in. long: fls. yellowish purple outside, pale purple within, disposed at intervals along the rachis; sepals broadly ovate, acute, spreading, hairy within: petals and lip minute, the latter undivided. Mex. (?). B.M. 6521.—S. canaliculata, Reichb. f., is about 8 in. high, has cuneate-oblong, obtuse, thick lvs. which are plainly channeled in the middle: fls. dull yellowish green, very small, secund in dense racemes; bracts and rachis whitish. Colombia.—S. ciliaris, Lindl. (S. atropurpurea, Hook.), grows about 6 in. high: lvs. broadly oblong, narrowed at base: spike naked half way then closely fld.: fls. deep purple; sepals ovate, long-fringed; petals compressed-rhomboid, fleshy; lip ovate, fleshy, channeled at base. Mex. B.B. 3975.-S. dolichopus, Schlechter, has sts. about 6 in. high: lvs. rather thick, oblong-ligulate, up to nearly 4 in. long: raceme only 1 1/4 – 1 3/4 in. long: fls. pale yellow. Probably Colombia.—S. Endresii, Reichb. f., has lvs. cuneate, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, emarginate and apiculate, thick: raceme distichous: fls. greenish white: sepals coalescing toward the base: lip fleshy, transversely subrhomboid, excavated. Costa Rica.—S. glossula, Reichb. f., is densely tufted: lvs. cuneate, oblong-ligulate, minutely bilobed with a small tooth at apex: fls. brownish, in 2 transverse rows; the upper sepal having a longer extent than the whole of the other floral organs together; lip fleshy, papilli-form. Costa Rica.—S. grandiflora, Lindl., has sts. 3 in. high: lvs. oblong, petiolate, emarginate, 4 1/2 x 1 in.: spike dense; spathe large, acuminate: fls. chocolate-colored, large for the genus: sepals equal, obtuse; petals ovate; lip ovate, concave, emarginate. Brazil.— S. grossilabris, Reichb. f. Plant tufted: lvs. cuneate, spatulate, obtuse: racemes shorter than the lvs.: fls. light greenish, small; lip thick and fleshy. Hab.(?).—S. Hennisiana, Schlechter, has slender sts. up to 2 1/2 in. long, 1-lvd.: lvs. lanceolate-ligulate, about 3 in. long, petiole 1 1/4 in. long: racemes slender, 1-sided, many-fld., usually slightly longer than the lvs.: fls. dark purple-red. Colombia. —S. macroglossa, Hort., is offered in the trade.—S. micrantha, Swartz, grows 3-6 in. high: lvs. lanceolate-oblong, rather blunt, 1-2 1/2 in. long: raceme slender, spike-like: fls. whitish, red within, nodding, l-sided-distichous; sepals deltoid; petals and lip truncate. Jamaica. L.B.C. 11:1011.—S. ophioglossoides, Swartz, has the st. shorter than the lvs., which are 2 1/2- 6 in. long, oblong-linear, rather blunt, long-tapering at the base: raceme slender, 1-sided, pedunculate: fls. greenish, with a tinge of purple, minute. W. Indies. B.R. 935. L.B.C. 50:442.—S. sesquipedalis, Lindl., is about 6 in. high: lvs. broadly oval, shortly petiolate, 1 1/2 - 4 in. long: spike 7-10 in. long: fls. pale yellow, secund, large; sepals roundish ovate, obtuse; petals oblate; lip oblate, hooded. Venezuela.—S. venosa, Hort., said to have 6 lvs., is offered in the trade.—S. zonata, Reichb. f., has a short st.: lvs, very thick, cuneate-oblong, blunt: raceme 1-sided: fls. light ochre; sepals brown at base; petals with a mauve middle zone. Guiana.
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:''For the bee genus '''Stelis''', see [[Stelis (bee)]]''.
:''For the bee genus '''Stelis''', see [[Stelis (bee)]]''.