NOMENCLATORIAL NOTES ON 
COSTA RICAN ORCHIDS 
BY 
CHARLES SCHWEINFURTH 
Lepanthes Wercklei Schlechter in Fedde Repert. 
10 (1912) 896. 
Lepanthes apiculifera Schlechter in Fedde Repert. 
Beihefte 19 (1928) 177. 
The descriptions supplemented by drawings (with flo- 
ral analyses) of the type specimens made from Schlech- 
ter’s drawings show that these concepts are identical. 
The single morphological discrepancy which we can dis- 
cover between them lies in the petal which is shown and 
described as simple in L. Wercklei and bilobed (with a 
minute apicule-like lobe) in L. apiculifera. Such an in- 
conspicuous character might easily be overlooked under 
any but the highest magnification, and in reality all the 
specimens which appear as L. Werchklet in our herbarium 
show a minute more or less rounded lobule anterior to 
the relatively large cuneate-obovate posterior lobe. There 
is no sharp lobule as attributed to L.apiculifera. 
Furthermore, the petals frequently appear to be cel- 
lular-pubescent, unlike those described in the case of both 
species. Other variations from the description are seen in 
the leaves which rarely reach a length of 5.4 cm. or a 
width of 6 mm. and the stems which extend to 12 cm. 
in length. 
Maxillaria nasuta Reichenbach filius Beitr. Orch. 
Centr.-Am. (1866) 104. 
Mawillaria brevipedunculata Ames & Schweinfurth 
in Sched. Orch. 10 (1980) 91. 
The recent acquisition of drawings of )Z.nasuta from 
the Reichenbachian herbarium indicate that this species 
[ 90 ] 
