This species is named after Ruth Moore, as my way of thanking John and Ruth for their generous support of my research over the last five years.

   I discovered Lepanthes ruthiana at the edge of a newly cut pasture in virgin forest of Zone A south of the Rio Pastaza. It took several years for me to find a second plant, this time in virgin forest on the north side of the Pastaza. It appears to be a rare species that is thinly scattered in very wet foothill forests in Zone A. To date it has not been found anywhere else.

   

Dr Carl Luer's botanical drawing of my discovery, from his Icones Pleurothallidinarum XVIII, Missouri Botanical Garden Press, 1999.