Epidendrum cylindrostachys Rchb. f. & Warsz. 1854 GROUP Cylindraceum
Photos by © Lourens Grobler
Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website
Common Name The Cylindric Inflorescence Epidendrum
Flower Size 1/2" [1.25 cm]
Found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru on the eastern slopes of the Andes at elevations of 1800 to 3100 meters as a small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with a simple, cane-like, terete below, laterally compressed in the apical third, flexuous stem enveloped basally by 2 partially imbricating, laterally compressed, tubular, acute, papiraceous sheaths and carrying 1 to 2, distributed throughout the apical third, coriaceous, linear-ligulate, obtuse and apiculate apically, margin entire leaves that blooms in the winter on an apical, racemose, laterally compressed, 20 to 100 flowered inflorescence with simultaneously opening flowers.
Epidendrum cylindrostachys Rchb.f. & Warsc. belongs to the GROUP Cylindraceum characterized by the sympodial habit, narrow spathaceous bracts with parallel sides an erect racemose inflorescence with non-resupinate flowers and a generally reduced, fleshy lip. This species is often cited as including E trifidum as a synonym, I keep them apart pending further references.
"This species is recognized by its narrow leaves, .36 to .56" [0.9 to 1.4 mm] wide, long, many-flowered, dense inflorescence, 8 to 20" [20 to 50 cm] long, flowers distributed throughout the inflorescence, short ovary .2 to .28" [5 to 7 mm] long, lateral lobes of the lip falcate, isthmus narrowly lanceolate-ligulate, apex truncate to dilated. It is similar to Epidendrum cylindrostenophyllum Hágsater & Dodson, which has narrower leaves, ca. .4" [1 cm] wide, shorter inflorescence, 6" [15 cm] long, small sepals and petals, .14 to .2" [3.5 to 5.0 mm] long, lateral lobes of the lip retrorse and narrow at the base, transversely elliptic at the apex. Epidendrum cylindraceum Lindl. has wider leaves, .8 to 1.4" [2.0 to 3.5 cm] wide, a shorter inflorescence, flowers distributed throughout the apical half of the inflorescence, a longer ovary, .48 to .88" [12 to 22 mm] long, sepals dorsally verrucose, and a smaller midlobe of the lip." Hagsater etal 2009
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 7: 246 Schlechter 1920; Orchids of Peru Vol 2 Fieldiana Schweinfurth 1959; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 5 COS 1994 photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 431 Hagsater & Sanchez 2001 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 769 Hagsater & Sanchez 2004 see Recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Part 12 Plate 1235 Hagsater 2009 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum Part 12 Plate 1252 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Part 12 Plate 1271 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Orquideologia Vol 27 #2 2010 photo fide; Orchids of the Department of Valle De Cauca Colombia Vol 2 Kolanowska, Hagsater etal. 2014 drawing/photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol #9 2019 photo fide;
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