Epidendrum delsyae Hagsater & Cisneros 2020 GROUP Alpicolum SUBGROUP Alpicolum

TYPE Drawing by © D. M. Trujillo and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1809 2020

LATE

Common Name Delsy's Epidendrum [Delsy Mariela Trujillo Chavez Peruvian collector of the type current]

Flower Size .7" [1.75 cm]

Found in Huanuco department of Peru in in forests with white sand at elevations of 2700 to 3000 meters meters as a medium sized, cold, caespitose growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, terete, base erect, then arching pendent stem carrying about 17, along the apical 3/4's of the stem, alternate, articulate, grass-like, conduplicate at the base, tubular, minutely striated sheaths, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, erect, margin entire, spreading leaves that blooms in the fall on a terminal, arising through 2, imbricated, basally tubular, conduplicate along the apical half, acuminate spathes, peduncel 1.76 to 2.16" [4.4 5.4 cm] long, thin, terete, rachis 3.28 to 3.52" [8.2 to 8.8 cm] long, racemose, sylindrical, straight, pendent, 5.6" long, overall, simultaneously to 30 flowered inflorescence with narrowly triangular, acuminate, embracing, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying resupinate, soap scenteed flowers.

"Epidendrum delsyae belongs to the GROUP Alpicolum SUBGROUP Alpicolum , which is characterized by the simple stems, long, narrow spathes, numerous flowers with fleshy lips, the triangular mid-lobe and roundish lateral lobes, and the lip with two laminar calli and a rounded process in between. The new species is recognized by the 21.6" [54 cm] long stems, leaves 2.96 to 5.36" x .4 to .48" [7.4 to 13.4 x 1.0 to 1.2 cm], linear-lanceolate, acuminate, the peduncle of the inflorescence shorter than the apical leaf, the relatively large flowers, sepals .4 to .512" [10 to 12.8 mm] long, sepals and petals ochre, apex greenish orange, lip ochre-orange, column green, and the mid-lobe of the lip .152" x .72" [3.8 x 1.8 mm], triangular in general form, acute, attenuate at the middle, the apical half ensiform. Epidendrum ferrugineum Ruiz & Pav. comes from the same area, but the leaves (to 6" x .8" [15 x 2 cm] are oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse, emarginate, the peduncle of the inflorescence is nearly as long as the apical leaf, and the lip is described as entire, triangular (which is doubtful, as this group of species always has clearly 3-lobed lips); the original watercolor (MA, Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid) does not permit a detailed analysis of the floral segments, the type at MA shows a few floral buds and the sepals would seem to be much shorter, about .28" [7 mm] long. Epidendrum praeteritum Hágsater, has similarly sized plants, leaves 3.2 to 5.6 x .24 to .36" [8 to 14 x 0.6 to 0.9 cm], sepals .38 to .448" [9.5 to 11.2 mm] long, but the flowers are light yellow and the mid-lobe of the lip is .152 x .408" [3.8 x 1.02 mm], considerably narrower and triangular, not attenuate. Epidendrum melinoacron Schltr. from Tabaconas, in northern Peru, has similar plants and leaves 3.2 to 4.8" [8 to 12 x 1.0 to 1.5 cm], smaller flowers, sepals .32" [8 mm] long, oblong, acuminate, the flowers are described as brownish white, with the lip greenish white and orange appendages." Hagsater & Cisneros 2020

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1809 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 photo fide

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