Epidendrum piconeblinaense Hágsater 2004 GROUP Elleanthoides SUBGROUP Rhombochilum

Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Pico Neblina Epidendrum [refers to in Brazil the Pico de Neblina or in Venezuela the Cerro de Neblina]

Flower Size .6” [1.5 cm]

Found in Venezuela and Brazil near the Rio Negro at elevations around 1900 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphyte with cane-like, branching, terete, thin, straight, the branches shorter than the main stem carrying more than 6 on the main stem and 6 to 7 on the branches, all along the stem, linear-lanceolate, acute, apical margins irregular erose-crenate leaves that blooms in the fall on a terminal, without a spathe, paniculate, peduncle terete, filiform, rachis zig-zag, successively 1 to 2, 3 to 6 per branch, several to many flowered inflorescence with as long as the ovary, triangular, acuminate floral bracts and carrying olive green flowers.

"Epidendrum piconeblinaense belongs to the GROUP Elleanthoides SUBGROUP Rhombochilum , characterized by the many branching thin canes, with long, narrow, grass-like leaves, the paniculate inflorescence with hair-thin peduncles, small flowers, oblong petals and a fleshy lip which embraces the column. The new species is recognized by the tree-like architecture, with a sturdy main stem and short branches, intermediate-sized flowers, oblong sepals .22 to .28" [5.5 to 6.1 mm] long, the linear-oblong petals 10: 1 in length/width, and a rhombic lip. It is similar to Epidendrum elleanthoides which has very small fiowers, sepals .148 to .172" [3.7 to 4.8 mm] long, with the sides of the transversely elliptic to trullate, apiculate, lip embracing the column without overlapping and the oblong petals about six times longer than broad. Epidendrum guacamayense has flowers nearly twice as large, the segments narrower and the petals about 15 times longer than broad, and the lobes of the lip overlapping above the column. Epidendrum saccatum Hágsater has shorter leaves, and a very broad, reniform lip with a sac-like base and without any ornamentation. Epidendrum montispichinchense Hágsater & Dodson has leaves about twice as wide and larger flowers, with the nectary forming a wide, rounded cavity." Hagsater etal 2004

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 740 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; * Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 775 Hagsater 2004 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1628 Hagsater & Santiago 2018 See recognition section;

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