em. longa; bracteis infundibuliformibus, acutiusculis, 
quam ovaria pedicellata longioribus, 8-4 mm. longis; 
sepalis lateralibus inter se liberrimis sed cum sepalo pos- 
tico maxima pro parte in synsepalum connatis; synsepalo 
antice 3-lobo, per lobum 8-nervio, intus minutissime hir- 
sutulo, ad basim leviter cochleato, 1-1.3 cm. longo, inter 
lobis laterales 1 cm. lato; petalis valde carnosis, cuneato- 
flabellatis, obtusis, dimidio superiore valde incrassatis, 
basi 8-nerviis, 0.75 mm. longis, 1.25 mm. latis; labello 
valde carnoso, triangulari, basi valde incrassato, ante in- 
crassationem leviter excavato, 0.75 mm. longo latoque; 
columna humili, crassa, sursum abrupte dilatata, brachiis 
divaricatis; ovario cum pedicello, 2-8 mm. longo. 
Stelis nexipous is rather peculiar in the shape of its 
sepals. In appearance it does not resemble any other 
species in the genus. The genus Physothallis, which was 
established on a similar monosepalous character, has a 
column typical of the genus Physosiphon, and I am now 
convinced that the two genera are inseparable. How- 
ever, the concept Physothallis is just as abnormal in the 
genus Physosiphon as the species described herein is in 
the genus Stelis. A few more cases like that of S. neax- 
pous will help to confirm my feelings that we are dealing 
in the Pleurothallidinae with a very natural biological 
unit or genus which encompasses all the generic concepts 
proposed up-to-date within that subtribe. 
Ecuapor: Prov. Napo-Pastaza, Mera, towards Mangayacu; epi- 
phyte in rastrojo. Ca. 1100 m. alt. March 7, 1956. Erik Asplund 19638 
(Tyrer in Herb. State Mus. Nat. Hist., Stockholm, Sweden; Dupti- 
CATE TYPE in Herb. Ames). 
Platystele ornata Garay sp. nov. 
Epiphytica, caespitosa, pusilla, usque ad 2.5 cm. alta; 
radicibus filiformibus flexuosis, glabris; caulibus secun- 
dariis vix rite evolutis, ullis, vagina unica omnino obtec- 
tis; folio obovato-spathulato, apice obtuso, ca. 2 cm. 
[ 195 | 
