A new species of Scaphosepalum (Orchidaceae, Pleurothallidinae) from eastern Ecuador

With over 60 recognised species, Scaphosepalum is distributed throughout the tropical Americas, with its highest diversity in Colombia and Ecuador. Recent explorations in the Eastern Andes and the Cordillera del Cóndor in south-eastern Ecuador led to the discovery of several new orchid species, including an endemic Scaphosepalum taxon.

Many regions remain underexplored, leaving the orchid flora to continually reveal previously undocumented diversity.Herein, we describe and illustrate Scaphosepalum lesterlapoi, as new species discovered in the Andean-Amazonian piedmont of eastern Ecuador. This taxon was initially misidentified as S. medinae based on photographic records. It is compared with S. pleurothallodes and S. medinae, from which it is distinguished by its maroon to yellow-maroon flowers and the rhombic-spathulate shape of the petals.