Stelis
(the old Greek name used by Theophrastus for some parasitical plant). ORD. Orchideae. A large genus (about 150 species have been described) of stove, epiphytal Orchids, inhabiting tropical America, from Brazil and Peru, as far as Mexico and the West Indies. Flowers small, sometimes minute, shortly pedicellate, in terminal, elongated racemes, rarely sub-distichous; sepals spreading, more or less connate; petals much shorter, broad, with thickened margins, often nearly including the column and lip; lip sessile at the base of the column, resembling the petals, or narrowed and occasionally three-lobed; pollen masses two; bracts alternate, often distichous. Leaves coriaceous, often contracted into the petioles. Stems tufted, or creeping with simple branches, one-leaved at apex, often with one to three sheaths below the leaves, not pseudo-bulbous. Few of the species have any attraction on the score of beauty; but many of them are very interesting. A selection of those best known to cultivators is given below. For culture, see Pleurothallis. S. atropurpurea (dark purple). A synonym of S. ciliaris. S. Bruckmulleri (Bruckmuller's).* fl. yellowish-purple outside, pale purple within, disposed at intervals of 1/6in. along the rachis; sepals broadly ovate, acute, united at base, clothed with spreading hairs within; petals and lips very minute, the latter undivided; racemes two or three times as long as the leaves. December. l. 1 1/2in. to 2in. long. Probably Mexican Andes. (B. M. 6521.) S. canaliculata (channelled). fl. dull yellowish-green, very small, secund, disposed in a dense raceme; bracts and rachis whitish, l. cuneate-oblong, obtuse, thick, plainly channelled in the middle. h. 8in. Bogota, 1872. S. ciliaris (ciliated).* fl. deep purple, with long fringes to the ovate sepals; petals oblate-rhomboid, fleshy; lip ovate, fleshy, channelled at base; spike naked half-way up, then closely covered with flowers. February. l. broadly oblong, narrowed at base. h. 6in. Mexico, 1842. SYN. S. atropurpurea (B. M 3975).
S. Endresii (Endres'). fl. greenish-white; sepals coalescing towards the base; lip fleshy, transversely sub-rhomboid, excavated; raceme distichous. December and July. l. cuneate, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, emarginate and apiculate, thick. Costa Rica, 1870.
S. glossula (small-tongued). fl. brownish, standing in two transverse rows, the upper sepal having a much longer extent than the whole of the other organs of the flower together; lip fleshy, papuliform. l. cuneate, oblong-ligulate, minutely bilobed, with a small tooth at apex. Costa Rica, 1870. Plant densely tufted.
S. grandiflora (large-flowered). fl. chocolate-coloured, among the largest of the genus; sepals equal, obtuse; petals ovate; lip ovate, concave, emarginate; spike dense; spathe large, acuminate. July. l. oblong, petiolate, emarginate, 4 1/2in. long, 1in. broad. Stem 3in. high. Brazil, 1836. S. grossilabris (large-lipped). fl. light greenish, small; lip thick and fleshy; racemes shorter than the leaves. l. cuneate, spathulate, obtuse. Native place unknown. 1881. Plant tufted.
S. micrantha (small-flowered). fl. whitish, red within, nodding, one-sided-distichous; sepals deltoid; petals and lip truncate; raceme slender, spike-formed. April. l. lanceolate-oblong, rather blunt, contracted and tapering at base, 1in. to 2 1/2in. long. h. 3in. to 6in. Jamaica, 1805. (H. E. F. 158; L. B. C. 1011; S. E. B. 75.) S. ophioglossoides (Ophioglossum-like). fl. greenish, with a tinge of purple, minute; raceme slender, one-sided, pedunculate. September. l. 2 1/2in. to 6in. long, oblong-linear, rather blunt, long-tapering at the base. Stem shorter than the leaves. West Indies, 1791. (B. R. 935; L. B. C. 442.) S. sesquipedalis (foot-and-a-half). fl. pale yellow, secund, large; sepals roundish-ovate, obtuse; petals oblate; lip conformed, cucullate; spike 7in. to 10in. long. August. l. broadly oval, shortly petiolate, 1 1/2in. to 4in. long. h. 6in. Sierra Nevada, 1845.
S. zonata (zoned). fl. light ochre; sepals brown at the base; petals with a mauve middle zone; raceme one-sided. l. very thick, cuneate-oblong, blunt. Stem short. Demerara, 1884.