Epidendrum platypetalum Hágsater 2001 GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Vesicicaule

Photo by © Carlos Augusto Mesa Londońo and his Flickr Orchid Photo Website

TYPE Drawing

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website

LATE EARLY

Common Name The Flat Petaled Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in Antioquia department of Colombia at elevations around 2500 meters as small sized, cold growing, hanging epiphyte or lithophyte with simple, cane-like, laterally compressed stems carrying all along the stem, unequal, fleshy-subcoriaceous, progressively larger, oblique, narrowly ovate, acute, basally clasping leaves with infundibuliform sheaths that blooms in the late fall and early winter on a terminal, erect, short, 1.08" [2.7 cm] long, simultaneously 2 flowered inflorescence arising through 1 to 2 spathes with much shorter than the ovary, triangular, acuminate floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum platypetalum Hágsater belongs to the GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Vesicicaule , recognized by the prominent spathe, few, resupinate flowers, and the column united to the lip. The species is recognized by the very wide petals, small globose calli, cordiform lip with small calli and a low keel, and short column with a fleshy, entire clinandrium. Epidendrum tigriphyllum Hágsater, from the same area, has larger flowers with sepals .88 to .92" [22 to 23 mm] long, a fleshy, 4-lobed callus, and narrow, ligulate petals. Epidendrum posadarum Hágsater, also from the region above Medellín, has smaller flowers with sepals .4 to .48" [10 to 12 mm] long with a deeply cordiform lip and a large fleshy callus, the petals linear. Epidendrum stahlii 2020 has a smaller plant habit, proportionately larger flowers, narrower petals, a longer column. Epidendrum miradoranum Dodson & Bennett from Peru is terrestrial and erect, has larger flowers, with sepals .92 to 1.08" [23 to 27 mm] long, and oblanceolate petals. Epidendrum calacaliense Hágsater & Dodson, from Western Ecuador, epiphytic and pendent, has a reniform lip, with proportionately larger calli and a prominent keel on the lip, and linear, acute petals." Hagsater etal 2001

This species is in a group of about 12 species that have often in the past been considered synomonous and are spread from Colombia to Bolivia. The separated species include E. cardiomorphum, Epidendrum calyptratoides, Epidendrum calyptratum, Epidendrum calyptrectylosum, Epidendrum chaparense, Epidendrum falcivesicicaule, Epidendrum lagotis, Epidendrum pachyclinium, and Epidendrum vesicicaule.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 472 Hagsater 2001 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 474 Hagsater 2001 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1581 Hagsater & Sanchez 2016 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1590 Hagsater & Sanchez 2016 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1599 Hagsater & Sanchez 2016 see recognition section; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 drawing fide;

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