Encyclia flabellata (Lindl.) B.F. Thurston & W.R. Thurston 1977
Photo by © Cassio Van der Berg
Drawing By © Ricardo Pelaez/Hagsater & Salazar
EARLIER
Common Name The Fan Shaped Encyclia [refers to the lip apex]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Vera Cruz state of Mexico in oak forests at elevations of 500 to 1000 meters as a small to medium sized, warm growing epiphyte with clustered, conic-ovoid to subspherical pseudobulbs enveloped basally in youth by scarious sheaths and carrying 2, apical, elliptic, subacute, coriaceous, sometimes tinged with purple leaves that blooms in the winter through earlier spring on an erect, terminal, peduncle with scarious, tubular, pesistent bracts, laxly paniculate, 6 to 32" [15 to 80 cm] long, to 50 flowered inflorescence with scarious, triangular floral bracts and carrying sweetly fragrant flowers.
This species is very similar to and often cited as a synonym of Encyclia candollei but E flabellata differs in the entire to rather obscurely lobed flabellate lip that blooms in the winter and earlier spring and occurs in relatively warm, dry locations in Vera Cruz State of Mexico.
"Encyclia flabellata has an entire or rather obscurely lobed flabellate lip, early flowering, and warm, relatively dry habitats, which distinguishes it from its close relative, Encyclia candollei characterized by the neatly 3-lobed lip, late flowering (May to August) and colder and more humid habitats (pine-oakLiquidambar forest)." Hagsater & Salazar 1990
Synonyms *Epidendrum flabellatum Lindl.1853;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Fol. Orchid. 3: 6 Lindley 1853 as Epidendrum flabellatum
The Genus Epidendrum Ames 1936 as Epidendrum flabellum;
Orchid Digest Vol 34 #4 1970 as Epidendrum falabellatum drawing fide;
* Orquidea (Mexico City), n.s., 6: 312 B.F.Thurst. & W.R.Thurst. 1977;
Icones Orchidacearum I Plate 20 Hagsater & Salazar 1990 drawing fide;
Cattleyas and Their Relatives Vol V Withner 1998 as syn of E candollei
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