Epidendrum amplexipetalum Hagsater & Medina 2020 GROUP Coronatum SUBGROUP Aristisepalum

LCDP Photo by © A. Medina & A. Cisnero and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1802 Hagsater, Pfahl & Cisneros 2020

Common Name The Embracing Petal Epidendrum [refers to the petals that embrace thlateral sepals, a quite unusual feature within Epidendrum]

Flower Size .8" [2 cm]

Found in southern Ecuador and northern Peru in the Parque Nacional Yacuri of Ecuador and in the province of Chachapoyas within the department of Amazonas at elevations of 2850 to 3000 meters as asmall to medium sized, cold growing, caespitose epiphye with simple, cane-like, terete stems covered by tubular, non-foliar, imbricated, papyraceous, striated when dry sheaths, and carrying 2 to 4, along the apical 1/2 to 1/4 of the stem, alternate, articulate, suberect, sub-coriaceous, linear-oblong, subobtuse to acute, margin entire, smooth, green leaves with tubular, smooth sheaths that blooms in the winter and spring on a terminal, without a spathe, arising on a mature stem, peduncle very short, racemose, arching-nutant, compact, successively few, 4 to 12 flowered inflorescence opening from the apex of the raceme first, the basal buds still immature and with triangular, embracing, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and car\rying resupinate, bright green turning yellow with age, somtimes tinged red flowers.

"Epidendrum amplexipetalum belongs to the GROUP Coronatum SUBGROUP Aristisepalum which is characterized by the caespitose habit, simple stems, narrow, sub-coriaceous leaves, a racemose inflorescence without spathes and the sepals prominently aristate. The new species is recognized by the apical flowers opening first, and progressively towards the base of the raceme, flowers bright green turning yellow with age, sometimes tinged red, the obovate petals, apically rounded, .44 to .468" [11 to 11.7 mm] long, and the lip about .4" [10 mm] long, sub-quadrate in general form, 3-lobed, the mid-lobe itself divided into two lobes, lobes dolabriform, bicallose, calli laminar, prominent, nearly parallel, reclining inwards, on the outer side of each callus there are 3 small thickened blades, decreasing in size, laminar, shark fin shaped. Epidendrum aristoloides Hágsater & Dodson has pale pink flowers, petals shorter .388" [9.7 mm] long, obovate-rhombic petals and a shorter lip .346" [8.6 mm] long, the basal lobes semi-orbicular, bicallose, calli semi-orbicular, without any other appendages. Epidendrum tetralobum Hágsater & E.Santiago has lanceolate leaves, an erect inflorescence, smaller, greenish-pink flowers, petals about .32" [8 mm] long, and a lip .24" [6 mm] long, 3-lobed, ecallose." Hagsater & Cisneros 2020

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1802 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 photos fide;

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