Epidendrum reclinatum Carnevali & I.Ramírez 2003 GROUP Aquaticum
TYPE Drawing by © R Jimenez /Plant photo © by Eric Hagsater and The AMO Herbario Website
Common Name The Laying Down Epidendrum [Misnomer - the stems are decumbent which is prostrate with the tip upwards]
Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]
Found in Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil from the summit of the higher Tepuis in the Guiana Shield and south to the Cerro Marahuaca among Bonnetia roraimae shrubs at elevations of 2250 to 2800 meters as a small to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with cane-like, rarely branching when mature, terete, prostrate, decumbent, the primary stem ca. 8.04 to 16" x .16 to .24" [21 to 40 x 0.4 to 0.6 cm]; the branches 2.6 to 6" x .08 to .12" [6.5 to 15 x 0.2 to 0.3 cm]; the stem base covered by non-foliar tubular, scarious sheaths carrying 5 to 10 on the main stem, 3 on the branches, distributed along the apical 1/3 of the stems, articulate, distichous, sub-coriaceous, sub-spreading with respect to the stem, similar in size and shape, light yellowish green, with a tubular, rugose, striated basal sheath; blade lanceolate, acute to sub-acuminate, apical margin denticulate, revolute leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, without a spathe, peduncle .4 to .6" [1.0 to 1.5 cm] long, terete, thin; rachis 1 to 1.6" [2.5 to 4.0 cm] long, straight, 1.4 to 2" [3.5 to 5.0 cm] long overall, apical, flowering only once, erect to slightly arching, racemose, laxly, successsively from the base towards the apex of the inflorescence, 6 to 8 flowered, though several are open at the same time inflorescence with not spreading, prominent, longer than the ovary, cucullate, widely ovate when spread, acute, fleshy, at a right angle with respect to the rachis floral bracts and carrying . small, non-resupinate, white to yellowish white flowers without fragrance data and with the lip always facing the rachis.
"Epidendrum reclinatum belongs to the GROUP Aquaticum which is characterized by the monopodial, branching habit, the distichous, erect to arching-nutant inflorescence, with fleshy flowers, and the disc of the lip and/or nectary often pilose. The species is recognized by the short, prostrate plants with scarcely branching stems, lanceolate leaves 1.4 to 2" x .32 to .44" [3.5 to 5.0 x 0.8 to 1.1 cm], light yellowish green in color, inflorescences short, erect to somewhat arching, about twice as long as the apical leaf, racemose, with 6 to 8 white to yellowish white flowers, petals spatulate with the margin erose, .28 to .32" x .084 to .104" [6.5 to 8.0 x 2.1 to 2.6 mm], the lip widely rhombic with a prominent, fleshy apical mucro at the apex. Epidendrum montigena Ridl. has oblong leaves .8 to 1.4 x .16 to .24" [2.0 to 3.5 0.4 to 0.6 cm], the inflorescence is racemose to paniculate, and nutant with 10 to 28 pink flowers, the petals oblong-elliptic, the apical margin dentate, lip somewhat 3-lobed, with the mid-lobe triangular. Epidendrum alsum Ridl. has ovate leaves 1 to 1.72" x .56 to .72" [2.5 to 4.3 x 1.4 to 1.8 cm], the inflorescence paniculate and nutant, flowers yellow, petals narrowly lanceolate, .28 to .36" x .076 to .084" [7 to 9 x 1.9 to 2.1 mm]." Hagsater 2018
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1} Plate 1652 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1664 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 See recognition section;
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