Epidendrum cryptopateras Hágsater & Courtinard 2019 GROUP Secundum SUBGROUP Secundum
LCDP Photo by © P. Courtinard/TYPE Photo by © P. Courtinard and AMO Herbaria Website
LATE
Common Name The Hidden Father Epidendrum [in reference to this rare species which is one of the parents of the common hybrid, Epidendrum x rubroticum together with Epidendrum secundum]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Martinique, thus apparently endemic and very rare amidst dry leaves among ferns and Clidemia hirta (L.) D.Don (Melastomataceae) in a somewhat open wooded space at an elevations of 300 meters as a large to giant sized, hot growing terrestrial with simple, cane-like, terete, straight stems the basal part covered by several non-foliar sheaths, chartaceous, grayish, imbricated, tubular carrying 13 or more, distributed along the apical 1/4 of the stem; tubular, thin, smooth to slightly striated, purple; blade oblong-elliptic, apex emarginate, coriaceous, green, margin entire leave that blooms in the late fall, winter, spring and late summer on a terminal, erect, peduncle 11.6" [29 cm] long, elongate, terete, straight, purple, covered by tubular bracts, chartaceous, gray, imbricated, acuminate, to 14" [35 cm] long, apical from the mature stem, simple to pluri-racemose, erect, producing 1 to 3 new racemes from the upper nodes of the peduncle, successively to 8, many flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, triangular, chartaceous, acuminate, embracing.floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, bright red flowers with the anther, apical lobes of the lip, calli and mid-rib of the lip yellow, fragrance none.
"Epidendrum cryptopateras belongs to the GROUP Secundum SUBGROUP Secundum which is characterized by the caespitose habit, erect, simple, cane-like stems, a normally elongate peduncle of the inflorescence, an erect raceme of generally resupinate, showy, colorful flowers, and a lip adorned by two calli and a median narrow keel. The new species is recognized by the terrestrial habit, bright red non-resupinate flowers with the anther, apical lobes of the column, calli and mid-rib of the lip yellow, petals oblong-elliptic, obtuse, lip deeply 3-lobed, base somewhat cordate; lateral lobes sub-quadrate, mid-lobe formed by a narrow isthmus in the basal half, apical half bilobed the lobes divergent, sub-quadrate, the distal margin dentate-laciniate, with a mucro in the apical sinus. At first sight it appears to be the XIX century hybrid Epidendrum × obrienianum Rolfe being the same color, and overall shape, but that hybrid has wider sepals and petals, the apex of the column has elongated digitiform lateral lobes, and the calli are wider, not digitiform. Epidendrum puniceoluteum F.Pinheiro & F.Barros, from the southern coast of Brazil, is also very similar, but has wider sepals and petals, shorter apical lobes of a thicker and wider column and wider, sub-quadrate calli, and a wider mid-rib. Epidendrum × elongatum Jacq. is the natural hybrid between the new species and Epidendrum secundum Jacq. and produces all the intermediate shapes and colors from pink with a large white callus to red with yellow calli and mid-rib. Epidendrum revertianum (Stehlé) Hágsater, also native to Martinique, has resupinate, white flowers with pale yellow calli and the lip orbicular in general outline, composed of four sub-equal lobes, the laterals more or less at a 45° angle. Epidendrum cyparisii Hágsater, Charly & Viscardi, also from Martinique, has resupinate flowers white, with apex of the column, anther, and disc of the lip purple tinged, calli and mid-rib white, petals elliptic-rhombic, obtuse, lip deeply 3-lobed, base deeply cordate; lateral lobes oblique, rhombic, mid-lobe formed by a narrow isthmus in the basal half, apical half obliquely rhombic in outline, bilobed, the lobes divergent, sub-quadrate" Hagsater etal 2019
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1715 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 drawing/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1719 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognintion section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1745 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognintion section; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1749 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 See recognition section
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