Epidendrum acuminatisepalum Hagsater, Santiago and Gal-Tar 2020 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Vernixium

LCDP by © R. Galindo T. & A. Cisnero and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1801 2020

LATE

Common Name The Acuminate Sepal Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in Cauca department of Colombia on the western upper Pacific slope of the Cordillera Occidental in the basin of the Río San Juan del Micay in wet evergreen montane cloud forest at elevations around 2815 meters as a medium sized, cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, thin, terete erect, straight, branching stems secondary branches arising from the upper internodes of the primary stem, and carrying numerous on the primary stem, 4 to 8 on the branches aggregate towards the apex spreading, alternate, coriaceous, green, concolor, somewhat ancipitose, striated, slightly verrucose, green sheaths, narrowly elliptic, apex obtuse, margin entire leaves that blooms in the late spring on a terminal, erect, without a spathe, peduncle sessile rachis, 1.6" [4 cm] long, sub-corymbose, sub-dense, the flowers distributed in a helicoid, terete, thin, straight, green, successively several, to 17 flowered inflorescence inflorescence with narrowly triangular, acuminate, embracing, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum acuminatisepalum belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Vernixium which is characterized by the monopodial habit with sub-apical branching, erect inflorescences, laxly non-resupinate, spreading flowers, and the lip entire to 3-lobed and facing downwards. The new species is recognized by the leaves 1.46 to 2.12" x .48 to .6" [3.6 to 5.3 x 1.2 to 1.5 cm], narrowly elliptic, flowers yellow tinged red, ovary 1.12 to 1.56" [28 to 39 mm] long, sepals .6 to .668" [15 to 16.7 mm] long, long acuminate, the lip .32 x .312' [8.0 x 7.8 mm], entire, sub-orbicular with laminar calli and radiating thickened veins on the disc, and a fleshy thickened mid-rib. Epidendrum deorsus Hágsater & E.Santiago is endemic to central Peru and has leaves 1.04 to 5.2" x .8 to .12" [2.6 to 13 x 2.0 to 3.0 cm], oblong-elliptic, the flowers green turning ochre-yellow, the ovary 1.6" [40 mm] long, sepals .84 [21 mm] long, minutely apiculate, and the lip .4 x .4" [10 x 10 mm], cordiform with the calli sub-globose. Epidendrum decurviflorum Schltr. has leaves 1.2 to 2.2" x .04 to .048" [3.0 to 5.5 x 1.0 to 1.2 mm], lanceolate, flowers yellow, concolor, sepals .52 to .68" [13 to 16 mm] long with a low dorsal keel, and the lip .24 to .32" x .24 to .4" [6 to 8 x 6 to 10 mm], 3-lobed and lacking any thickened veins. Epidendrum scytocladium Schltr. has leaves .4 to 3.2" x .4 to .72" [1.0 to 8.0 x 1.0 to 1.8 cm], narrowly oblong to oblong-lanceolate, flowers yellow or greenish yellow with the lip marked with an intensely purple band around the disc, the ovary 1.2 to 1.68" [30 to 42 mm] long, sepals .48 to .56" [12 to 14 mm] long, and the lip somewhat 3-lobed with the base deeply cordate and the margin crenulate." Hagsater & Santiago 2020

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1801 2020 Photos fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1804 Hagsater & Santiago 2020

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