Epidendrum circinatum Ames 1924 Photo courtesy of Franco Pupulin.

Common Name The Curled Epidendrum

Flower Size .6 to 7/8" [1.4 to 2.2 cm]

Found in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombiaat elevations around 300 to 1000 meters as a medium to large sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte that blooms in the spring.

The syn E concavilabium - Colombia seems by the photo and drawing available in Orquideas de la Serrania del Baudo to be substantially different, not only in the non curled lateral sepals and petals but in the shape of the lip which has no central folding, no erose margins and is much more bowl-like. More study needs to be done. This species is found at low elevations in primary forest and has medium sized, flattened stem completely enveloped by clasping sheaths many carrying liner, coriaceous, bilobed apically, conduplicate and clasping basally leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, erect, flattened inflorescence enveloped completely by imbicate, acute floral bracts from which the rigid, coriaceous, waxy, 1" [2.5 cm], wide open, racemose flowers, arise showing only the flower, with the ovary hidden.

Synonyms Epidendrum concavilabium C.Schweinf. 1937

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Field Guide to the Orchids of Costa Rica and Panama Dressler 1993; Vanishing Beauty, Native Costa Rican Orchids Pupulin 2005; Orquideas de la Serrania del Baudo Misas Urreta 2006 as E concavilabium

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