Epidendrum carnosum Lindl. 1841 GROUP Aquaticum
Photo E Menezes /drawing by R. Jiménez M. © courtesy of Eric Hagsater and Icones Orchidacearum 16(1): t. 1608 Hagsater etal 2018
Common Name The Fleshy Epidendrum
Flower Size .8" [2 cm}
Found in the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás and Rio de Janeiro to Mato Grosso and south to São Paulo states of Brazil in Planalto and Mata Atlântica at elevations of 800 to 1950 meters as a small to giant sized, warm to cool growing terrestrial with cane-like, branching subapically, terete, straight, the primary stem erect and carrying all along the stems, 10 to 16, articulate, coriaceous, rigid, sub-parallel to the stem, similar in size and shape, sheaths tubular, rugose, blade lanceolate, apex acute, margin entire leaves that blooms in the spring summer and fall apical, flowering only once, racemose to paniculate, erect, peduncle .4" [1 cm] long, terete, branches erect, parallel to the main axis of the inflorescence, distichous, rachis 3.2" to 4.8" {8 to 12 cm] long, straight, 3.6 to 5.2" [9 to 13 cm] long overall, opening in succession, but eventually all open at one time, 9 to 35 flowered inflorescence with as long as the ovary, ovate, cucullate, acute, clasping floral bracts and carrying fleshy, non-resupinate, distichous, the lip always oriented towards the rachis, small flowers.
"Epidendrum carnosum belongs to the GROUP Aquaticum which is characterized by the monopodial, branching habit, the distichous, erect to arching-nutant inflorescence, with fleshy flowers, and the disc of the lip and/or nectary often pilose. The species is recognized by the large plants, to 50" [125 cm] tall, lanceolate leaves, acute, the margin spreading, 1.6 to 3.44 x .24 to .52" [4.0 to 8.6 x 0.6 to 1.3 cm], the inflorescence is usually paniculate, branches sub-erect, nearly parallel to the main axis, sepals .36 to .4" [9 to 10 mm] long, petals -32 to .36 z .6 to 1" [8 to 9 x 1.5 to 2.5 mm], lanceolate-rhombic, and the lip .24 to .32 x .44 to .48" [6 to 8 x 11 to 12 mm] has a single callus with the apex bidentate. Epidendrum ulei Schltr. has similar large-sized plants, 18 to 32" [45 to 80] cm, but the leaves are oblong with the apex rounded and the margin somewhat revolute, 1.2 to 2.8" x .36 to 1" [3 to 7 x 0.9 to 2.5 cm], inflorescence paniculate with the racemes spreading from the axis, sepals similar in size, .36 to .4" x .136 to .2" [9 to 10 x 3.4 to 5.0 mm], and the petals linear, lip bicallose, the calli thin, converging at the apex. Epidendrum pseudavicula Kraenzl. has very short plants, 2.8 to 7.2" [7 to 18 cm] tall, leaves .4 to 1.4 x .24 to .4" [1.0 to 3.5 x 0.6 to 1.0 cm], narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate, sepals .224" [5.6 mm] long, petals .212 x .32" [5.3 x 0.8 mm], linear, and the lip is bicallose, the calli thin, parallel and short. Epidendrum durum Lindl. has intermediate sized plants, to 22.4" [56 cm] tall, the leaves lanceolate, .8 to 1" x .2 to .56" [2.0 to 2.5 x 0.5 to 1.4 cm], inflorescence racemose to paniculate, when paniculate the racemes spreading at a 90° angle with the axis, flowers small, greenish white, sepals .26 to .28 x .12 to .16" [6.5 to 7 x 3 to 4 mm], and petals linear-elliptic. Epidendrum dendrobioides Thunb. has linear-lanceolate leaves 1.4 to 2.4" x .2 to .32" [3.5 to 6.0 x 0.5 to 0.8 cm], inflorescence 2.4 to 5" [6 to 12.5 cm] long, simple, distichous, rarely with a secondary branch, sepals .24 to .3" [6.0 to 7.5 mm] long, petals linear, .22 to .24" x .04 to .048" [5.5 to 6.0 x 1.0 to 1.2 mm], and the lip .18 to .2" x .272 to .3" [4.5 to 5.0 x 6.8 to 7.5 mm]. " Hagsater etal 2018
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1604 Hagsater & Santiago 2018 See recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16(1) Plate 1608 Hagsater etal 2018 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1614 Hagsater & Santiago 2018 See Recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1} Plate 1649 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1663 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 See recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1664 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 See recognition section;
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