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''Lepanthes eltoroensis'' is a species of
''Lepanthes eltoroensis'' grows at six sites of sierra palm, palo colorado, and dwarf forest areas within the Luquillo Mountains. Because the orchid is an 
USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6527304 eltoroensis Orchids of Puerto Rico Endemic flora of Puerto Rico Epiphytic orchids Plants described in 1970
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
known by the common name Luquillo Mountain babyboot orchid. It is endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest ( es, Bosque Nacional El Yunque), formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest (or ''Bosque Nacional del Caribe''), is a forest located in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rainforest in the United Sta ...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, growing primarily in the Luquillo Mountains. It is named for the El Toro Trail in the mountains. It is a federally listed endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
of the United States.
Habitat
''Lepanthes eltoroensis'' grows at six sites of sierra palm, palo colorado, and dwarf forest areas within the Luquillo Mountains. Because the orchid is an epiphyte
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
(living on other plants without parasitizing), ''L.'' ''eltoroensis'' finds its home on the trunks of several species of trees, known also to house mosses and liverworts. The orchid has only been found on approximately 40-60 trees within the forest, all at an altitude of 2,789 ft or above. More recent studies have noted larger populations of ''L. eltoroensis'' on the Tradewinds Trail as opposed to the El Toro Trail, for which it was named, possibly due to greater numbers of Sierra palm, offering a more closed canopy.
Physical characteristics
The plant is no more than 4 centimeters long with a single leaf and three-seven slender stems. ''Eltoroensis'' stands apart from its genus of ''Lepanthes
''Lepanthes'' (from Greek "scaled-flower") is a large genus of orchids with about 800–1000 species, distributed in the Antilles and from Mexico through Bolivia (with very few species in Brazil). The genus is abbreviated in horticultural trade a ...
'' orchids due to its comparatively long inflorescence, obovate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...
leaves ( 0.4-0.9 in long x 0.2-0.4 in wide) and ciliate sepals. The solitary flowers with red/orange petals (two lobed petals; three lobed lip) lie against the leaf and are just a few millimeters long.
Growth and life-cycle patterns
The lepanthes eltoroensis grows in a circular pattern, favoring the northwestern side of the bole of itsphorophyte In botany phorophytes are plants, on which epiphyte
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. Th ...
(host) trees.
The average ''L. eltoroensis'' will live for about 5.2 years, depending on various factors. Researchers have not yet found the pollinator specific to ''L. eltoroensis'', but other lepanthes species attract black winged fungus gnats.
Based on restricted gene flow, small population sizes and high genetic variance between ''lepanthes'' species, researchers believe the ''eltoroensis'' and others arose through genetic drift.
Endangered status and threats
This plant was listed as an endangered species because it is threatened by forest management practices andhurricane
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
activity. Plant collectors have sought this plant, and have destroyed at least one population of it once found in the sierra palm forest.
Conservation
Diversity within the ''L. eltoroensis'' species is low, limiting the potential for adaptive development, and jeopardizing the success of the populations. Researchers have suggested the artificial cross-pollination of the ''L. eltoroensis'' and ''L. caritensis'' (which suffers from similar genetic restrictions) in order to combat the homogeneity of genetic material. Additionally, because of ''L. eltorensis''References
External links
USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6527304 eltoroensis Orchids of Puerto Rico Endemic flora of Puerto Rico Epiphytic orchids Plants described in 1970