Cyrtopodium gigas (Vell.) Hoehne 1942

Photos by © Emanoel Gomes

Common Name The Gigantic Cyrtopodium

Flower Size 1.12 t o1.4" " [2.8 to 3.5 cm]

Found in Rio de Janiero and Minas Gerais states Brazil at elevatioons of 650 to 950 meters as a large sized warm growing epiphyte with erect to slightly reclining, cylindrical below becoming fusiform above, enveloped by imbricating sheaths that become flared apically pseudobulbs carrying distichous, rigid, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, attenuate and somewhat canaliculate blow into the base leaves that blooms in the spring on an erect, paniculate, 24 to 50" [60 to 130 cm] long overall, peduncle enveloped basally by yellow green, imbricate, oval-lanceolate, enlarging towards the begining of the panicle, very branched, green suffused with red, many flowered inflorescence with curly, lanceolate, strongly red spotted floral bracts.

Synonyms *Epidendrum gigas Vell. 1831

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI 97 - 114 1942 Hoehne 1942 drawing fide; Iconografia de Orchidaceae Do Brasil Hoehne 1949 drawing fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Orchidaceae Brasilenses Band 1 1Pabst & Dungs 1975 drawings fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 64 #9 1995 photo fide; Botanica's Orchids Laurel Glen 2002 photo fide; Orquideologia Vol 24 #1 2005 photo fide; Orquideas Da Chapada Diamantina Brito & Cribb 2005 photos fide; The Organ Mountain Range Its History and its orchids Miller, Warren, Miller and Seehawer 2008 drawing ok; Orchidees du Bresil As Orquideas sa Serra do Castelo Espirito Santo Brasil Vol 3 Chiron & Bolsanello 2013 drawing/photo fide; Orchids, A Colombian Treasure Vol 1 Ortiz & Uribe 2014 drawing/photo fide

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