In 1984, Benjamin Øllgaard and his colleagues during their expedition to Ecuador discovered a new species of Elleanthus (Orchidaceae). They deposited the original material in the Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium but they failed to publish a description of their discovery. A few years later in 1991, Calaway H. Dodson named it Elleanthus ollgardii on the herbarium sheet but again no description was published. Based on our studies and comparisons with other herbarium materials we validate and illustrate E. ollgaardii Dudek & Szlach. as a species new to science.