Epidendrum veltenianum Campacci 2007 publ. 2008 GROUP Arbuscula SUBGROUP Incomptum
TYPE Species Photos/TYPE Drawing by © Marcos Campacci and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Brazilian
Common Name Velten's Epidendrum [Brazilian Orchid Enthusiast and discoverer of species current]
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in Espiritu Santo state of Brazil in the Atlantic Rain forest at elevations of around 800 meters as a mini-miniature to miniature sized, warm growing epiphyte with short, 3 noded stems enveloped totally by leaf bearing sheaths and carrying 3 decurrent, subcoriaceous, elliptical, gradually smaller above leaves that blooms in the Brazilian spring on a terminal, short, erect, on a mature stem, occuring only once, simultaneously 4 flowered inflorescence with acuminate, shorter than the ovary floral bracts.
Epidendrum veltenianum is part of GROUP Arbuscula SUBGROUP Incomptum characterized by the successive lateral growths produced from the middle of the previous growth, few leaves aggregate towards the apex of the stems, a short apical inflorescence with fleshy greenish to violet-green flowers with short ovaries, the lip entire to 3-lobed. The species from Espírito Santo state of Brazil, has shorter, more compact plants than the following species, somewhat larger green flowers, the apex of the column purple, sepals ca. .4" [10 mm] long, the lip .28 x .32" [7 x 8 mm], lateral lobes semi-orbicular, the ovary only slightly inflated behind the perianth. Epidendrum bothryanthum is recognized by the small flowers, sepals .2 to .24" [5 to 6 mm] long, the flowers green tinged with blackish purple, and a slightly 3-lobed lip, basally cuneate, the mid-lobe emarginate, bicallose, ovary inflated forming a vesicle behind the perianth. Epidendrum ochrochlorum Barb.Rodr. is green and has larger flowers, sepals .56 to .6" [14 to 15 mm] long, acute, the lip is very similar in shape, the base cordate, with the mid-lobe of the lip emarginate and thus bilobed, but the sides of the lip are obliquely revolute, so that in natural position it looks triangular. Epidendrum proligerum Barb.Rodr. is also larger, with yellowish green flowers, sepals .48 to .52" [12 to 13 mm] long, has the mid-lobe of the lip entire, not emarginate, with the base of the lip cuneate. Epidendrum jamaicense Lindl. the successive flowers with a prominent ventral nectary which inflates the ovary over two-thirds its length, .4 to .6" [10 to 15 mm] long sepals, acute petals, a reniform, bicallose lip, and a straight thin column, with the enormous stigmatic cavity which occupies the whole length of the column." Adapted from Epidendrum bothryanthum Icones Plate 1506 Hagsater etal 2015
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Boletim COAB No 68 Campacci 2007/2008 drawing/photo fide; Orchidees Du Bresil As Orchideas da Serra Do Castello Vol 3 Chiron & Bolsanello 2013 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1506 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section;
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