Epidendrum albifloroides D.E. Benn. & Christenson 1998 GROUP Ampelospathum
Photo by © Carlos Hajek
TYPE Drawing by © Bennett & Christenson and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria WebPage
to 
Common Name The White Flowered-Like Epidendrum
Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]
Found in wet montane forest of Peru at elevations of 1200 to 1500 meters as a miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with complantate stems that are leafy towards the apex and enveloped basally by several tubular, acuminate sheaths and carries elliptic, obtuse or emarginate, coriaceous, basally clasping leaves that blooms in the fall in nature on a terminal, arching, 3 1/4" [8 cm] long, racemose inflorescence arising on a mature stem with lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts that are shorter than the ovaries and several to many spidery, campanulate flowers.
"Epidendrum albifloroides D.E.Benn. & Christenson belongs to the GROUP Ampelospathum which is characterized by the simple, cane-like, few leaved stems, with a single, tubular, tight spathaceous bract at the base of a racemose, simple, erect inflorescence, the flowers resupinate. The species is recognized by the elliptic leaves 3.2 x .832" [8.0 x 2.4 cm], apically rounded and unequally bilobed, lateral sepals .72" [18 mm] long, apex acute, petals .56" [14 mm] long, linear-oblanceolate, straight; lateral lobes of lip obliquely ovate, apex rounded, mid-lobe linear-oblong with apiculate apex, calli large, divaricate. Epidendrum aquilalatum is similar in every way but has leaves 5.8-8.0 x 2.8-3.5 cm, lateral sepals .76" [19 mm] long, acuminate, petals linear-oblanceolate and subfalcate, the whole spread lip appearing bird-like, the lateral lobes revolute, base deeply cordate, margin entire; lateral lobes obliquely semi-ovate, acute, the inner margin straight, the outer margin rounded; basal half of mid-lobe sub-quadrate forming an isthmus, apical half strongly dilated forming a pair of semi-orbicular, strongly divaricate lobes and ending in a prominent apiculus. Epidendrum ampliracemum has larger leaves 2.68 to 5.32" x 1.2 to 1.76" [6.7 to 13.3 x 3.0 to 4.4 cm], inflorescence densely many-flowered, 8" [20 cm] long, sepals .68 to .72" [17 to 18 mm] long, sub-acute, margin revolute, dorsal slightly reflexed, petals linear-oblanceolate, 1-veined, oblique, lip 3-lobed, lateral lobes dolabriform, mid-lobe sub-quadrate, apex minutely apiculate. Epidendrum chalmersii Hágsater & Ric.Fernández has smaller flowers, sepals .46 to .52" [11.5 to 13 mm] long, petals narrowly oblanceolate, 1-veined, lip 3-lobed, lateral lobes ovate-elliptic, mid-lobe rectangular-oblong, apex emarginate and bilobed. Epidendrum brevicallosum Hágsater & E.Santiago has leaves 1.8 to 3.2" x .6 to 1.08" [4.5 to 8.0 x 1.5 to 2.7 cm], elliptic, apically rounded, not bilobed, lateral sepals .6 to .64" [15 to 16 mm] long, apex obtuse, petals sub-spathulate, and lip with lateral lobes obliquely dolabriform, corners rounded and mid-lobe quadrate, apex emarginate." adapted from Plate 1705 Hagsater etal 2019
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 445 Bennett & Christenson 1998 drawing fide; ; LANKESTERIANA 14(1) 2014; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1705 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
