Epidendrum plagiophyllum Hágsater 1999 GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Tigriphyllum

TYPE Drawing by © Hagsater and The AMO Herbaria Website

LATE EARLY

Common Name The Oblique Leaved Epidendrum

Flower Size 1” [2.5 cm]

Found in Panama on the Vulcan de Chiriqui in cloud forests at elevations of 2000 to 2300 meters as a mini-miniature to small sized, cold, pendent growing epiphyte with cane-like, laterally compressed stems carrying 4 to 9, all along the stem, the blades all in one plane, ovate-lanceolate, acute, succulent, oblique, greyish green leaves without any transverse bars that blooms in the late fall and early winter on a terminal, arising through 1 occasionally 2, prominent, semiovate, conduplicate, completely enveloping the peduncle, subcorymbose, simultaneously 3 to 5 flowered inflorescence, with much shorter than the ovary, triangular, acute floral bracts and carrying resupinate, green flowers.

"Epidendrum plagiophyllum belongs to the GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Tigriphyllum characterized by the caespitose habit, the prominent spathaceous bract, oblique leaves and fleshy flowers. The species is distinguished by its .16 to .2" [4 to 5 mm] wide, 5-veined sepals, the lip square in proportion, with two calli at the base, and the concolor, green plant and flowers. It is closely related to E. obliquifolium, which has .146 to .16" [3.6 to 4 mm] wide, 3-veined sepals, the lip longer than wide with thickened keels on the disc, the leaves transversely barred with maroon and the flowers dotted with purple. Both are further related to Epidendrum stanhopeanum Kraenzl. which has greenish flowers dotted with purple, the lip semicircular, deeply cordate, margin finely dentate. Epidendrum miradoranum Dodson & Bennett is much larger overall, with two orbicular spathes, a deeply cordate lip, and .2" [5 mm] wide petals. Epidendrum escobarianum Garay has a cordate, long, acuminate, deep red lip, and a small nectary which does not form a vesicle behind the sepals." Hagsater etal 1999

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 370 Hagsater 1999 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 387 Hagsater 1999 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Vol 8 Plate 861 Hagsater & Sanchez 2006 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1811 2020 see recognition section

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