This species was found by Dr. David Neill (1953-) during an expedition to the Cordillera del Condor, under the auspices of the U.S. National Geographic Society.
The habitat of P. neillii is restricted to the high summits of the cordillera, which are covered by a species of Sphagnum. Solitary plants emerge among the moss, with only one green leaf capable of photosynthesis. One can observe reduced leaves in the lower part of the plant; the lower are ovate, with a 4 cm long acuminate apex; the upper 29 cm long with an ovate sheath and a long linear apex. The leaf sheaths are covered with white woolly indument, as are the peduncle and inflorescence.
Woolly indument protects the plant from the adverse conditions of its environment by reducing the plant's dehydration and exposure to the strong solar radiation at the summits. Curiously, the only green leaf does not possess woolly indument; instead, its texture is coriaceous, making it resistant to the inclement climate.
An intense pink inflorescence which is covered with lanate indument, stands out from its surrounding. The lower half of the sepals is bright pink and the upper lemon-green. The petals are green to yellow.
To locate its relatives you would search in the taxonomic key of Smith & Downs (1974), because of its simple inflorescence, its floral bracts exposing the flowers and leaves with a 47 cm long petiole, you must search subkey IV. Following this subkey, you will arrive to P. biflora, because the floral bracts are shorter than the pedicel; sepals 20-28 mm long, with an apiculate apex; pedicel 18 mm long; leaves with entire margins and flowers ascending, not secund. —SeeManzanares 2005
OBSERVATIONS. This species was found by Dr. David Neill (1953-) during an expedition to the Cordillera del Condor, under the auspices of the U.S. National Geographic Society.
The habitat of P. neillii is restricted to the high summits of the cordillera, which are covered by a species of Sphagnum. Solitary plants emerge among the moss, with only one green leaf capable of photosynthesis. One can observe reduced leaves in the lower part of the plant; the lower are ovate, with a 4 cm long acuminate apex; the upper 29 cm long with an ovate sheath and a long linear apex. The leaf sheaths are covered with white woolly indument, as are the peduncle and inflorescence.
Woolly indument protects the plant from the adverse conditions of its environment by reducing the plant's dehydration and exposure to the strong solar radiation at the summits. Curiously, the only green leaf does not possess woolly indument; instead, its texture is coriaceous, making it resistant to the inclement climate.
An intense pink inflorescence which is covered with lanate indument, stands out from its surrounding. The lower half of the sepals is bright pink and the upper lemon-green. The petals are green to yellow. —SeeManzanares 2005
