Rhipsalis micrntha subsp.tonduzii

See Calvente thesis 2010
7.4. Rhipsalis micrantha subsp. tonduzii (F.A.C.Weber) Calvente, comb. nov., stat. nov. Rhipsalis tonduzii F.A.C.Weber in Bois, Dict. Hort. 2: 1046. 1898. - TYPE: COSTA RICA. "pres San Marcos, pont du rio Tarrazu" , 1306 m, Apr. 1897 , C. Werckle 2312 (neotype, here designated: P!).
Rhipsalis kirbergii Barthlott, Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenwelt 10: 11. 1974.
Rhipsalis micrantha f . kirbergii (Barthlott) Supplie, Rhipsalidinae: 100. 1994.
Rhipsalis micrantha f. kirbergii (Barthlott) Barthlott & N.P.Taylor, Bradleya 13: 62. 1995.-TYPE: ECUADOR. Manabi: clone, "10km nordl.", 200 m, Rauh 34364 (holotype: HEID702582!; isotype: HEID702580!, HEID702581!).

Epiphyte, in open or shaded habitat, 1-2 m long, branching apical or sub-apical, rare lateral. Stem segments flattened, triangular, quadrangular or hexagonal in longitudinal section, ca. 1-2 mm diam, olive, medium or dark green, succulent but stiff and sometimes woody, monomorphic or dimorphic, (5-)11-20(-30) cm long, base attenuate or truncate, apex truncate; wings 2-6, 0.1-0.4(-0.5) cm wide, margin slightly serrate to entire, plane, with 0-1.5(-2) mm projections, midrib 1.5-2(-5) mm diam, cylindric. Areoles between margin projections, 1-4.5 cm apart, first of segment 0.5-3.5 cm distant from segment base; when sterile 1-3 mm diam, glabrous or with 1-4 acicular scales; when fertile 1.5-3 mm diam, glabous or pilose, with 1(2) flowers/fruits. Flowers 6-8 mm diam; pericarpel ca. 3.4-4 X 3-3.7 mm, cylindric, greenish, glabrous or with sepaloid bract; with 1-4 sepaloid tepals, 0.5-1 .5 mm long and 5-8 petaloid tepals, (2-)5-6.5 X 1.5-1.8 mm, oblong to elliptic, patent or sub-erect, whitish, apex rounded, slightly cucullate, margin straight. Style ca. 4 mm long; stigma with 3-4 lobes, 1.5 mm long, ligulate, curved, sub-reflexed. Ovules in 3 rows,
funicle short (< 0.5 mm long). Stamens ca. 40, 2-3.7 mm long, internal shorter, facing inwards, pinkish. Nectary ca. 0.7 mm long. Fruit 6-8 X 4-6 mm, globoid, elongate, whitish, glabrous.

Notes. Some forms of R. micrantha subsp. tonduzii from Ecuador have 2-winged and narrow secondary stem segments that can present dark-brown and floccose deposition in the stems (wax?) after drying. It can be separated from R. micrantha subsp. micrantha and R. micrantha subsp. rauhiorum by the narrower and stiffer wings and from R. micrantha subsp. monticola by the 2-winged secondary segments. When the 2-winged secondary segments are lacking, this species can be distinguished from R. micrantha subsp. monticola by the stem segments that are straight and less succulent, with almost entire margins.

Habitat and distribution: It occurs in Ecuador and Costa Rica, usually in coastal and lowland forests, but also in higher altitudes, ranging from 50-2250 m.

Rhipsalis tonduzii Weber, Dict. Hort. Bois 1046. (1898).
Reduced to synonymy under R. micrantha f. kirbergii by Barthlott and Taylor Bradleya 13
Info from Britton and Rose

Stems giving off aerial roots freely, at first erect but branches hanging, 1 cm. in diameter or
less, normally 4 or 5-angled, sometimes 7-angled, but terminal branches often 3-angled or
occasionally flattened and 2-angled;
Branches about 10 cm. long, usually terminal but always in clusters of 2 to 6, pale green;
Areoles close together, forming notches in the branch;
Flowers small, 12 mm. long, white;
Ovary exserted (Schumann says immersed) ;
Fruit globose, short-oblong, white, 7 to 10 mm. long, usually on upper half of terminal
branches, resembling fruit of Rhipsalis cassutha but much longer, sometimes abortive and
covered with hairs, thus resembling a small chestnut-bur, perhaps the result of insect stings;
Seeds oblong, numerous, black.

Type locality: Costa Rica.
Distribution: Costa Rica but range unknown.

Notes from Flora of Costa Rica “Collected at Ochomogo, bridge of Rio Tarrazu near San Marcos, Jimenez, and Piedras Negras, at 800 - 1,530 metres. Endemic”