Epidendrum amplexigastrium Hágsater & Dodson 1999 GROUP Geminiflorum
Photo by © Seattle Orchids and their Orchid Website
TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website
LATE 
EARLY
Common Name The Embracing Bellied Epidendrum [refers to the excavated, papillate, disc of the lip and the lobes that embrace it]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Ecuador and northern Peru in wet montane forests at elevations around 1100 to 1850 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with thickened, the new one arising from the middle of the previous one, fleshy stems carrying 3 to 5, all along the apical half of the stem, unequal, deep green, variously colored with purple, frequently transversely barred with purple, ovate, articulate, bilobed apically, basally clasping leaves that blooms in the late summer and early fall on a terminal, arising from a mature stem, occuring only once, racemose, short, 2 flowered inflorescence with the peduncle enveloped by a spathe and with much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, simultaneously opening flowers.
"Epidendrum amplexigastrium belongs to the GROUP Geminiflorum characterized by the sympodial habit, with new stems arising from the middle node of the previous one, a prominent round to ovate spathe, few non-resupinate flowers and a papillate, excavated disc of the lip. The new species is identified by the trilobed and cuneate lip, with the lateral lobes semiobovate and directed forwards, embracing the column in natural position so that the lobes are tightly overlapping over the column and hiding its apex. E. marsupiale is the most similar species, with a lip similar in both shape and size, but the lateral lobes are separated by deep sinuses and spreading in front of the column instead of embracing it and overlapping. E. megagastrium has a triangular, cordate lip and the sides do not cover the apex of the column." Hagsater etal 1999
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidaceaerum 3 Plate 304 Hagsater 1999 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 373 Hagsater 1999 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 417 Hagsater 2001 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 428 Hagsater & Dodson 2001 see recognition section; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017; Icones Orchidacearum 16(1) plate 1687 Hagsater etal 2018 in recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1742 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1853 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1889 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 see recognition section
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