Epidendrum aurimurinus Hagsater, Santiuago and Gal.-Tar. 2020 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Vernixium

LCDP Photo by © R. Galindo T. & A. Cisneros and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1804 2020

Common Name The Mouse Eared Epidendrum [refers to the lateral lobes of the lip]

Flower Size .8" [2 cm]

Found in Valle de Cauca department of Colombia in the Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de Cali in Andean montane forest and sub-paramo at elevations of 2800 to 3200 meters as a medium sized, cold growing epiphyte and terrestrial with cane-like, thin, laterally compressed, erect, straight stems carrying 12 or more, distributed throughout the stem, erect, parallel to the stem, the basally amplexicaul, partly imbricating, alternate, articulate, coriaceous, green with the margin blackish brown, somewhat ancipitose, minutely striated, rugose, reddish brown leaf sheaths, narrowly elliptic to ovate-elliptic, obtuse, apical margin denticulate, spreading leaves taht blooms in the summer on a terminal, erect, sessile, peduncle abbreviated, rachis 2" [5 cm] long, terete, thin, straight, racemose, dense, the flowered arranged in a helicoid, successively 1 to few until all are open at once, 9 to 12 flowered inflorescence with narrowly triangular, acuminate, embracing, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate to spreading and facing downwards flowers.

"Epidendrum aurimurinus belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Vernixium which is characterized by the monopodial sub-apical branching habit, erect inflorescences, lax, non-resupinate flowers, and the lip entire to 3-lobed. The species is recognized by the leaves nearly parallel to the stem and .48 to .84" [1.2-2.1 cm] wide, narrowly elliptic to ovate-elliptic, the ovary 1.64" [41 mm] long, lateral sepals .84 x .26" [21 x 6.5 mm], reflexed, and the lip .42 to .48" [10.5 x 12 mm], clearly 3-lobed, the lateral lobes .2 x .24" [5.0 x 6.0 mm], retrorse, obliquely semi-orbicular and the mid-lobe also semi-orbicular. Epidendrum decurviflorum Schltr. has narrower leaves .4 to .48" [1.0 to 1.2 cm] wide, lanceolate and spreading, the ovary .8 to 1" [20 to 25 mm] long, the lateral sepals .64" [16 mm] long, and the lip .24 to .32" x .24 to .4" [6.0 to 8.0 x 6.0 to 10 mm], shallowly 3-lobed, the lateral lobes semi-quadrate-oblong. Epidendrum scytocladium Schltr. has leaves .4 to .72" [1.0 to 1.8 cm] wide, narrowly oblong to oblong-lanceolate, spreading, the ovary 30-42 mm long, flowers yellow or greenish yellow with the lip marked with a semicircular purple ring around the disc, sepals 12-14 mm long, and the lip incipiently 3-lobed, deeply cordate and the margin crenulate. Epidendrum acuminatisepalum Hágsater, E.Santiago & Gal.-Tar. has narrowly elliptic leaves .48 to .6" [1.2 to 1.5 cm] wide, spreading, the ovary .88 to 1" [22 to 25 mm] long, the lateral sepals 7" [17.5 mm] long, partly spreading, and the lip 3.2 x 3" [8.0 x 7.5 mm], entire, sub-orbicular with radiating thickened veins." Hagsater & Cisneros 2020

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1804 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 photo fide

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