Epidendrum aquilalatum Hagsater & Santiago 2019 GROUP Ampelospathum

Drawing by © R Jimenez and AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Eagle Wing Epidendrum [refers to to the lip when spread where the lateral lobes obliquely semi-ovate, with the inner margin straight, and the outer margin rounded, and which resemble the wings of an eagle]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Pasco department of Peru on the eastern slope of the Andes in montane forest, at elevations around 1800 meters as a just medium szied, cool growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, laterally compressed, erect, straight stems; the basal half covered by non-foliar, tubular, scarious sheaths and carrying 2, sub-erect, alternate, articulate, coriaceous, inequal in size (lower one smaller); leaf sheaths tubular, minutely striated; blade elliptic, apex rounded, unequally bilobed, margin entire, spreading. leaves that blooms in the winter on a terminal, spathe not seen, peduncle 1.4 [3.5 cm] long, laterally compressed, erect, straight; rachis .52" [13 cm] long, straight, 5.6" [16.5 cm] long, apical, racemose, erect, sub-densely simultaneously to 25 flowered inflorescence with shorter that the ovary, linear-triangular, acuminate, embracing floral bracts and carrying resupinate, somewhat fleshy, cream colored flowers with the fragrance not registered.

"Epidendrum aquilalatum 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 new species is recognized by the elliptic leaves 5.8-8.0 x 1.12" to 1.4" [2.8 to 3.5 cm], apically rounded and unequally bilobed, 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 albifloroides D.E.Benn. & Christenson is similar in every way, but has leaves 3.2 x .96" [8.0 x 2.4 cm], lateral sepals .72" [18 mm] long, apex acute, petals .52" [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 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, single 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" [11.5-13 mm] long, petals narrowly oblanceolate, single 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." Hagsater etal 2019

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1705 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1708 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section

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