Altensteinia fimbriata

Description

Altensteinia fimbriata is aterrestrial orchid native to South America. It is found in Pisac, Peru and also occurs in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia at an altitude of 1,800 to 3,300 meters on grasslands or rocky slopes in the moist montane forests or steep cloud forests. It is a plant of terrestrial habit that grows in cold climates. It is robust and carpets the rock-covered slopes of broken granite. It has cauline, lanceolate, acuminate, spirally arranged green leaves that bloom on a terminal, erect spike 37.5 cm long, resembles a bottle brush, in a basal cluster with numerous bracts and 2 - flowered flowers to 2.5 cm wide. It produces bloom in May, but can be found in flower in late spring and early summer. Altensteinia fimbriata was described by Carl Sigismund Kunth and published in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum (fourth ed.) 1: 333, vol. 72. Etymology Altensteinia: Generic name given to it in honor of Baron von Stein zum Altenstein. fimbriata: Latin epithet meaning "fringed". Synonymy Altensteinia sceptrum Altensteinia is a genus of orchids. It is found in the Andean region of South America. At present (May 2014), eight species are accepted.