Epidendrum apaganum Mansf. 1928 Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt

Common Name The Soft Epidendrum [refers to the plants limp-feel when held]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Surinam, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador? Peru? and Bolivia? in wet montane forests at elevations of 1050 to 2400 meters as a miniature sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte with an erect to pendant stems completely enveloped by imbricate, leaf-bearing sheaths and each carrying a single, light green, often dirty appearing, elliptic, basally clasping, rigid, sharply keeled, minutely apiculate leaves that blooms on a terminal, 1 to 4 flowered inflorescence arising through a thin, pale green bracts..

This species is part of the E difforme group but differs in it's coarser aspect, fewer flowers, arising on a newly forming growth and a short hidden inflorescence arising through pale green bract.

Synonyms Neolehmannia apagana (Mansf.) Garay & Dunst.1976

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list IPNI ; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1961; Orchids of Bolivia Vol 2 Laelinae Vasquez and Ibisch 2004