PLANTAE MEXICANAE III 
BY 
Richard Evans Schultes 
A SIGNIFICANT VARIETY OF 
LIPARIS VEXILLIFERA FROM OAXACA 
A LARGE COLLECTION of an interesting orchid made in 
Oaxaca proves to be Sturmia arnoglossophylla Reichb.f. 
An examination of a drawing by Blanche Ames (in 
Herb. Ames) of the type of Sturmia arnoglossophylla 
(in Herb. Reichenbach Orch. No. 39783) together with 
the original description convinces me that this species 
falls within the range of floral variation exhibited by 
Liparis vexilltfera (La Llave & Lex.) Cogn. Further¬ 
more, this species is comparable to the specimens col¬ 
lected by Schultes and Reko in Oaxaca in having two 
broadly elliptic leaves and similar floral structure. Reich¬ 
enbach’s specimen, however, differs from the Oaxacan 
collection in being only about half as large and in having 
the sepals narrower and more linear. It is probably a 
young plant, for the inflorescence is immature at the 
apex. 
The reduction of Reichenbach’s species to varietal 
rank is based on the study of Mrs. Ames’ drawing of the 
Reichenbach sheet in Vienna and on a comparison of 
this drawing with the Oaxacan collection of Schultes 
and Reko. 
Liparis vexillifera (La Llave Lex.) Cogniaux 
var. arnoglossophylla (Reichb.f.) R.E.Schultes comb, 
new. 
Sturmia arnoglossophylla Reichenbach filius in Bon- 
plandia 4 (1856) 217- 
Liparis arnoglossophylla “Rchb.f. ” ex Hemsley in 
Godman & Salvin Biol. Centr.-Am. Bot. 3 (1883)212. 
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