Epidendrum ariasii Hágsater & Dodson GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum
Photo by © Juan Medinas Duenas.
TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website
THROUGH 
Common Name Arias' Epidendrum [Ecuadorean Orchid Nurseryman Current]
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in central Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations of 3400 to 3700 meters as a giant sized, cold growing terrestrial with erect, branching when mature, cane-like, terete, shortly branching stems carrying 5 to 6, on the branches, along the apical 2/3's of the stem, alternate, spreading, lanceolate-elliptic, somewhat rounded apically, low dorsal keel, minutely crenulate marginally, articulate below into the base leaves that blooms in the spring through summer on a terminal, erect, occuring only once, racemose, short, thick inflorescence with the peduncle bractless and the rachis completely enveloped by prominent, half to nearly as long as the ovary, widely triangular-ovate, gradually smaller apically, spreading floral bracts and carrying to 45, resupinate, successsively opening, 3 to 6 open at a time, fleshy flowers.
"Epidendrum ariasii belongs to the GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum which is characterized by the monopodial stems, branching aboye, the apical, erect, racemose, cylindrical inflorescence with non-resupinate, fleshy flowers, the lip entire, triangular to cordiform, with small calli and the nectary usually puberulose in front of the stigmatic cavity. The species is recognized by the orange-red, successive flowers on an erect, compact, raceme, the nectary does not show the pubescent surface usual in the group. It closely resembles Epidendrum xylostachyum Lindl. which has green flowers and is found on the Cordillera Central in Colombia and ranges along the provinces of Antioquia to Narińo." Hagsater etal 2004
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Orchidacearum Part 7 Plate 707 Hagsater 2004 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1507 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1521 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1848 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 see recognition section
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