Epidendrum azuayense Hagsater & Santiago 2019 GROUP Geminiflorum
LCDP by E. Hágsater & A. Cisneros/ Photo by © Eric Hagsater and AMO Herbaria Website
EARLIER 
Common Name The Azuay Epidendrum [refers to the province of Ecuador where the species occurs]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Azuay and Cańar provinces of Ecuador in highlands straggling in bushes at elevations of 2850 to 3700 meters as a large sized, cold growing terrestrial with simple, cane-like, produced from a middle internode of the previous stem, terete at the base, somewhat laterally compressed towards the apex; base covered by non-foliar sheaths scarious, becoming fibrous and carrying Leaves 2 to 10, distributed throughout the stems, articulate, alternate, spreading, fleshy-coriaceous; leaf sheaths tubular, laterally compressed somewhat infundibuliform in dry specimens, longitudinally striated; blade oblong-elliptic, apex unequally bilobed, margin entire leaves that blooms in the winter, spring, summer and early fall on a terminal, arising through 1 to 2 spathes, .4 x .2" [10 x 5 mm], tubular at base, conduplicate at the apex (narrowly obovate when spread), apex obtuse, blackish brown when in flower, membranous, margin entire, peduncle .6 to .8" [1.5 to 2.0 cm] long, laterally compressed, totally hidden by the spathe, provided in the middle with a bract .24 to .4" [6 to 10 mm] long, rachis .2 to .4" [5 to 10 mm] long, ca. 2.2" [5.5 cm] long including the flowers, erect, simultaneously 2 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, narrowly triangular, acuminate, embracing floral bracts and carrying , non-resupinate, erect, segments fleshy, rigid, orange colored flowers with the column green and no fragrance.
"Epidendrum azuayense belongs to the GROUP Geminiflorum , recognized by having a single, sympodial, scandent, straggling habit, a semiovate spathe, erect stems with 3 to 10 coriaceous leaves, few non-resupinate flowers, and a lip with laminar calli, disc flat. The new species is recognized by the oblong-elliptic leaves .4 to 2" x .32 to .6" [1.0 to 5.0 x 0.8 to 1.5 cm], 2 flowered inflorescence, flowers orange, column green, sepals .52 to .72" x .2 to .24" [13 to 18 x 5 to 6 mm]; petals .48 to .64" x .2 to .24" [12 to 16 x 5.0 to 6.0 mm], oblanceolate and slightly oblique, lip widely cordiform, obtuse. Epidendrum cuencanum has widely elliptic leaves 2.8 to 3.6" x 1.28 to 1.72" [7.0 to 9.0 x 3.2 to 4.3 cm], inflorescence 3 to 5 flowered, greenish white; column pale green; sepals .84 x 2.52" [21.5 x 6.3 mm]; petals .8 x .08" [20 x 2.0 mm], linear, and lip is cordiform, apex acute. Epidendrum geminiflorum Kunth is vegetatively similar, also 2 to 3 flowered, but the flowers are green to yellowish green, sepals and petals acuminate, lip 3-lobed, apically acuminate, lateral lobes semi-orbicular, small. Epidendrum philocremnum Hágsater & Dodson has similar leaves in size and shape, but the flowers are green, sepals .48 to .6" x .12 to .216" [12 to 15 x 3.0 to 5.4 mm], petals .48 to .56" x .92 to 1" [12 to 14 x 2.3 to 2.5 mm], oblong, and lip clearly 3-lobed with the mid-lobe triangular. Epidendrum geminiochraceum Hágsater, E.Santiago & Medina Tr. has plants to 14" [35 cm] tall, leaves 2 toi 3.4" x .48 to .8" [5.0 to 8.5 x 1.2 to 2.0 cm], oblong, 2 to 4 flowers fleshy, orange to ochre-orange, sepals acuminate, longitudinally somewhat convex, dorsal sepals .88 x .26" [22 x 6.5 mm], petals .74 x .16" [18.5 x 4 mm], lanceolate, lip .64 to .68" x .6 to .64" [16 to 17 x 15 to 16 mm], clearly 3-lobed, apex acuminate. Epidendrum geminiflorum Kunth is generally 2-flowered (rarely 3-flowered), flowers green or greenish-yellow, sepals .56 to .84" [14 to 21 mm] long, acute and apiculate, with the margin revolute, petals .576 to .76" [14.4 to 19 mm] long, narrowly lanceolate, lip canaliculate down the center in natural position, the margins then spreading, especially the lateral lobes, which are smaller than the mid-lobe." Hagsater etal 2019
SynonymsReferences W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1706 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1716 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1725 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1739 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1746 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1843 Hagsater, Santiago and Medina 2020 see recognition section
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