Epidendrum ecostatum Pabst 1956 GROUP Arbuscula SUBGROUP Incomptum Photo by © Victor Silveira and his Orqudeas da Mata Atlantica Website

EARLY

Common Name The Outward Projecting Epidendrum [refers to the way the flowers are held on the inflorescence]

Flower Size .64" [1.6 cm]

Found in Venezuela, Guyana and Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo, Parana and Santa Cruz states of Brazil at elevations of 1200 to 1300 meters as a miniature to small sized, cool growing epiphyte with several woody, basal stems with new alternate growths arising from the apical nodes of the previous stem, erect, stiff, scaly stems carrying 2 to 3, apical, opposite dark green to purple, elliptic, keeled, pliable leaves that blooms in the early summer on a terminal, short to .8" [2 cm] long, lightly pendulous, densely 15 flowered inflorescence.

CAUTION!!! Many references including Kew place this species as a synonym of E proligerum, but I go along with the Brazilian experts who soundly separate this species.

"Epidendrum ecostatum Pabst, described from Brazil, belongs to the GROUP Arbuscula , which is characterized by the erect habit with successive lateral growths produced from the middle of the previous growth, few leaves aggregate towards the apex of the stems, roots produced generally only from the base of the primordial stem, inflorescences are short with fleshy yellowish to green to violet-green to black flowers with short ovaries, the lip entire to 3-lobed, the SUBGROUP Incomptum which has inflated nectaries clearly visible along the apical half of the pedicellate ovary. This species is recognized by the similar but smaller flowers to Epidendrum marci-jimeneziorum, and the lip lacks any calli. Epidendrum marci-jimeneziorum has small yellow-green flowers, sepals .34 to .36" [8.5 to 9.0 mm] long, lip slightly 3-lobed, the mid-lobe formed by two wide, short, rounded lobes, and the sub-globose, prominent calli. It has been confused with Epidendrum lechleri Rchb.f. which has larger flowers, sepals .4" [10 mm] long, a bilobed lip, lobes sub-orbicular, and the calli are elongate, obtuse. Epidendrum morganii Dodson & Garay, has short, few-flowered inflorescences, successive, green flowers tinged with purple-brown, sepals .52" to .72" [13 to 18 mm] long, the lip widely cordiform, apiculate, with two low, laminar, divergent calli. Epidendrum jamaicense Lindl. also has an inflated nectary, but the lip is reniform, with the apex rounded and somewhat emarginate, revolute in natural position, and the lateral sepals are aristate. Epidendrum prietoi Hágsater from Ecuador, has dirty yellow flowers with purplish veins, the 3-lobed, lip with the lateral lobes dolabriform, the basal margin concave, and the distal margin convex, single veined petals and long, narrow calli, the disc with 3 low, narrow veins, the lateral veins trifid." Adapted from Plate 1681 Hagsater etal 1018

Synonyms

ReferencesW3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora de Venezuela Vol XV Tercera Parte Foldats 1970; Orchidaceae Brasilense Band 1 Pabst & Dungs 1975 drawing fide; Orchids of the High Mountain Atlantic Rainforest in SE Brazil Warren & Miller 1994; The Organ Mountain Range Its History and its Orchids Miller, Warren, Miller & Seehawer 2008 drawing/photo fide; Orchids of French Guiana Szlachetko, Veyret, etal 2012 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1541 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16[2] Plate 1681 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 see recognition section;

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