Epidendrum dactylodes Rchb.f. ex Hágsater 2009 GROUP Brevivenium

Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

LATER

Common Name The Finger Epidendrum [refers to the finger-like lobes of the lip]

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in southernmost Colombia without elevational data as a small sized epiphyte with simple, cane-like, basally terete, somewhat laterally compressed towards the apex stems carrying 3, in the apical half of the stem, alternate, articulate, erect-spreading, lanceolate-elliptic, obtuse, margin entire leaves that blooms in the later spring on a terminal, erect, racemose, occuring only once, peduncle thin, laterally compressed, ancipitous, with 2 subapical, narrowly elliptic, obtuse, conduplicate, very prominent bracts, rachis terete, thin, straight, simultaneously 25 flowered inflorescence with prominent, longer thant the ovary, linear-lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts and carrying resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum dactylodes belongs to the GROUP Brevivenium which is characterized by the repent rhizomes with erect, thin, few-leaved stems, and a pair of conduplicate tubular spathaceous bracts at the apex; the inflorescence is erect, with prominent floral bracts; the lip appears 7-lobed. The species is recognized by the 3, lanceolate-elliptic leaves 1.6 to 2.6" [4 to 6.5 cm] long; small flowers, sepals .24 to .28" [6 to 7 mm] long, the lateral sepals with a prominent apical awn, petals truncate at the apex, lateral lobes of the lip finger-like, and the midlobe oblong-ensiform, the margin entire and slightly involute at the apex. The better known Epidendrum brevivenium Lind. is apparently endemic to Ecuador, has more numerous, wider, elliptic leaves, a shorter inflorescence, petals obtuse at the apex, and the midlobe of the lip which expands near the apex into two divergent lobes. Epidendrum guanacasense Hágsater & Dodson has up to 18, ovate, leaves on the stem, .4 to .8" [1 to 2 cm] long; sepals .16" [4.5 mm] long, the lateral lobes of the lip do not form finger-like lobes, and the midlobe is oblong-rectangular, simple, with a sub-entire margin." Hagsater etal 2010

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1236 Hagsater & Santiago 2009 Drawing fide; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017;

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