Epidendrum citroserpens Hágsater, Cisneros et J.Duarte 2019 GROUP Kaloptenix SUBGROUP Serpens

TYPE Drawing by © R Jimenez and AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Yellow E serpens Epidendrum

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in Meta Department of Colombia within the Páramo de Sumapaz, on the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes in high alpine dwarf forest with Escallonia and Ageratina tinifolia at elevations of 3400 to 3450 meters as mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with stems thickened into an ovoid pseudobulb, short, covered by non-foliar sheaths that area somewhat striated when dry and carrying 2 at the apex of pseudobulb, oblanceolate, acute, fleshy, sub-coriaceous, green, margin erose, slightly revolute leaves that blooms in the winter on an apical, peduncle reduced, .6" [1.5 mm] long, terete, sessile, sub-umbellate, racemose with up to 2 to 3 flowers, much shorter than the leaf, simultaneously 2 to 3 flowered inflorescence with shorter than the ovary, ovate, acute, embracing floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, greenish yellow flowers with the fragrance not registered. .

"Epidendrum citroserpens belongs to the GROUP Kaloptenix SUBGROUP Serpens characterized by the aggregate, globose pseudobulbs with fleshy-coriaceous leaves, a sessile inflorescence, one or few fleshy, compact, star-shaped flowers, often burgundy red in color, and an entire lip, more or less cordiform. The new species is recognized by 2 leaves per pseudobulb, an inflorescence with 2 to 3 simultaneous flowers, greenish yellow, lateral sepals have a low dorsal keel at the apex, sub-orbicular lip, short-apiculate, concave in natural position, margin dentate, ecallose, disc with a thickened keel, and 3 thin veins. Epidendrum ornithidii Schltr. is pendent with new stems produced sub-apically from previous stem, 2.4" [6 cm] long with a short, decumbent rhizome, 1 leaf per pseudobulb, an apical, sessile inflorescence, densely few-flowered, flowers wine-red, with sepals partly spreading and lip reniform-orbiculate, margin crenulatedentate, disc 3-keel. Epidendrum pachycoleum Hágsater, O.Pérez & E.Santiago has erect plants, aggregate pseudobulbs, 1 to 2 elliptic leaves, the apical one often much reduced, flowers produced in succession, sometimes 2 open at one time, sepals ovate, lateral sepals dorsally pustulate, petals narrowly oblong, lip with a wide, low, central, prominent mid-rib. Epidendrum serpens Lindl. also has erect plants, 2 to 3 leaves per pseudobulb, leaves ovate-lanceolate, violet flowers, linear-lanceolate petals, and the lip sub-rounded-ovate, margin minutely serrulate" Hagsater etal 2019

SynonymsReferences W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1713 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1765 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section;

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