Stelis scabrida is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). It belongs to the subfamily Epidendroideae and the genus Stelis, a group of primarily epiphytic orchids within the tribe Pleurothallidinae.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes → Angiosperms → Monocots
- Order: Asparagales
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Subfamily: Epidendroideae
- Genus: Stelis Sw.
- Species: Stelis scabrida Lindl.
The species was first formally described by the English botanist John Lindley in 1840.
Distribution
Stelis scabrida is native to the Lesser Antilles, specifically the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. Herbarium records and botanical databases list occurrences throughout these island groups.
Habitat
The species is an epiphyte, growing upon the bark of trees in humid, montane rainforest and cloud‑forest environments. It is typically found in wet tropical biomes where high humidity and diffused light conditions prevail.
Conservation
No specific conservation assessment is widely published for Stelis scabrida. As an epiphytic orchid with a relatively restricted island distribution, its status may be influenced by habitat loss and environmental changes affecting Caribbean montane forests.
Note: Detailed morphological description and ecological interactions for this species are not extensively documented in readily accessible sources.