dated within the circumscription of the genus Ste/is. Here I refer 
to those species in which the flowers have a single stigma as 
opposed to the two stigmata in the genus Sre/is. For these spe- 
cies the generic name Apatostelis is proposed here. 
In recent years a lot of attention has been focused on the 
whole group of Pleurothallidinae, resulting in the publication of 
a number of new genera. As an introduction to the Pleurothalli- 
dinae a key to all genera within this subtribe is given here. 
Attention must be called to the fact that the following generic 
names are excluded for various reasons: Luere//la Braas differs 
from Masdevallia solely in the character of the petals which are 
calliferous externally in the former; Pabstiella Brieger differs 
from Pleurothallis only in the prominent columnfoot; Garayella 
Brieger is based on the same type as Chamelophyton Garay; 
Dubois- Reymondia Karst., recently resurrected by Brieger, had 
been reduced already in 1859 to a synonym of Pleurothallis by 
Lindley due to lack of differentiating characters; Restrepiopsis 
Luer is a recent segregate of Restrepiella Garay, yet both genera 
have the same circumscription; Octandrorchis Brieger is only an 
Octomeria with connate lateral sepals; Sreliopsis Brieger is not 
validly published—the obscure description in German and the 
photograph of the general habit of the plant leave little doubt 
that it is referable to Srelis Allenii L.O.Wms. 
I would like to call special attention to the genus Specklinia 
Lindl. which I recognize only as a subgenus of Pleurothallis. It 
certainly deserves a recognition at the generic level as it is evi- 
dent from the “Key to Genera” provided on subsequent pages. 
Such a step, however, will require some 800 nomenclatorial 
transfers. 
STUDY OF FLORAL DETAILS. 
The flowers of most Ste/is species are very small to minute and 
commonly are of a rather fleshy texture. The conventional 
method of preparing herbarium specimens through drying and 
pressing, frequently damages the intricate floral structures. 
Therefore, care must be taken in preparation for examination. 
There are two simple methods available: 1, boiling the dried 
flowers for about one minute, after which the flowers should be 
dissected submerged in water: 2, placing the dry flowers in con- 
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