Baños is where I live, and
is my main study area. I have found
three forms of L. nummularia
here. Two forms with thick columns
are very similar except for their
lip: a large appressed lip that goes
all the way to the stigma in the form
I shall call Form F (most similar
to Form A of Tapichalaca), and a small
hanging lip whose tip is far from
the stigma in the form I have called
Form E (most like Form B or Form C
of Tapichalaca). I think Forms E and
F are different from each other, because
their differences are consistent (though
they do show some variation) and both
grow together. The third form here
is the same as Form D from Tapichalaca,
the one with the skinny column and
disproportionately large anther. All
three forms are sympatric on some
mountains.
The photos below show two examples
of Form F from two different mountains,
and two of Form E from two different
mountains. Though they look extremely
similar from the front, the lateral
views show significant differences
in lip structure between the two forms.
These differences are consistent;
the two examples of each form shown
below came from different mountains,
yet each example of Form F has the
same long lip appressed to the column,
and each example of Form E has a short
hanging lip.Note also the difference
in size; all photos are reproduced
at the same scale. |