Epidendrum acutilobum Hagsater & Uribe Velez 2021 GROUP Capitellatum group

TYPE LCDP Photo by © J D Edquen & Cisneros and Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1851 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 and the AMO Herbaria Website

NOCTURNAL

Common Name The Alto Mayo Capitellatum Group Epidendrum [refers to the Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo, where the species has been found, and capitulum, head, in reference to the inflorescence which is somewhat sphaerical]

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in Amazonas department of Peru in high elevations Andean Cloud forests at elevations of 3000 to 3500 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with erect, simple, cane-like, the new stem produced near the base of the previous stem, provided with basally 1 to 2, non-folair sheaths, basally terete, somewhat laterally compressed towards the apex stems carrying about 12, all along the stem, alternate, coriaceous, unequal in size, middle largest, basal and apical smallest, ovate-elliptic, apex acute, somewhat revolute, amplexicaul, totally embracing the stem, perpendicular to the stem, margin entire, slightly revolute leaves with partly imbricating, infundibuliform, somewhat ancipitose, minutely striated sheaths that blooms in the spring and summer on an apical, without a spathe, arising on a mature stem, peduncle very short, laterally compressed, short, totally hidden by a single leaf-like, infundibuliform bract, .92" [2.3 cm] long, capitate, subglobse, simultaneously densely 6 to 12 flowered inflorescence with prominent, narrowly rounded apically,, amplexicaul, as long as the ovary floral bract and carrying non-resupinate, nocturnally fragrant flowers.

"Epidendrum altomayocapitellatum belongs to the GROUP Capitellatum group , which is characterized by the erect, succulent stems with non-articulate leaves, the spherical head of fleshy greenish flowers, and without any spathaceous bract. The new species is recognized by the somewhat short plants, 4.4 to 6" [11-15 cm] tall, ovate-elliptic, amplexicaule fleshy leaves .48 to 1.4" x .4 to .88" [1.2 to 3.5 x 1.0 to 2.2 cm], proportion 1.4:1 (length:width), sepals obovate, .32 to .36" [8 to 9 mm] long, and the lip bilobed with transversely elliptic, parallel lobes. Epidendrum pterogastrium Hágsater has shorter plants 4" [10 cm] tall, shorter leaves .44 to 1.2" X .28 to .4" [1.1 to 3.0 x 0.7 to 1.0 cm], elliptic sepals .232" [5.8 mm] long and the reniform lip has an erose margin. Epidendrum isaucapitellatum Hágsater has relatively tall plants, 6.4 to 9.2" [16 to 23 cm] tall, ovate-elliptic leaves, .48 to 2.2" x .4 to .88" [1.2 to 5.5 x 1.0 to 2.2 cm], proportion 2.5:1 (length:width), the leaves are slightly imbricating so that only part of the sheath is visible; the lateral sepals ovate-elliptic, 2.72 to .36" [6.8 to 7.4 mm] long, petals oblanceolate, and the lip is entire, reniform. Epidendrum capitellatum C.Schweinf. is vegetatively very similar but has narrower leaves .2 to .64" [0.5 to 1.6 cm] wide, proportion 3:1 (length:width), spaced further apart along the stems, the sheath, and a part of the stem clearly visible, the lateral sepals are elliptic, and the lip is 3-lobed. Epidendrum rhombicapitellatum Hágsater & Dodson has very short plants 2" [5 cm] tall, sepals .148 to .16" [3.7 to 4 mm] long, and the 3-lobed lip has a rhombic mid-lobe, the column is 2 mm long with the apex arching upwards. Epidendrum microcapitellatum Hágsater, Medina Tr. & E.Santiago has very small plants, 1.2 to 2" [3 to 5 cm] tall, sepals .92 to 1" [2.3 to 2.5 mm] long, and a 3 lobed lip with very small, hemi-ovate lateral lobes and the mid-lobe is semi-elliptic-oblong." Hagsater etal 2021

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1851 Hagsater & Jimenez 2011 drawing/photo fide

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