Epidendrum falcivesicicaule Hágsater & E.Santiago 2016 GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Vesicicaule

TYPE Drawing

TYPE Photo by Hagsater/TYPE Drawing by Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

MID EARLIER

Common Name The False Stem Vesicle Epidendrum [refers to the Inflated leaf sheaths clearly visible in pressed material that is the basis for this species not being E vesicaule]

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru along the Cordillera Oriental in tropical rainforests at elevations of 1900 to 2700 meters as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte with cane-like, terete, thin, suberect stems enveloped basally by tubular, nonfoliar sheaths and carrying 6 to 7, all along the apical 2/3's of the stem, unequal in size, basally smaller, articulate, spreading, lanceolate, acute, minutely apiculate, apical margin papillose, subcoriaceous, apple green leaves that blooms in the mid winter, spring and summer on a terminal, occuring only once, peduncle to 1.8" [4,5 cm] long, sub-terete, nearly totally hidden by the obliquely hemi-elliptic, conduplicate, tubular towards the base, partly imbricate spathe, rachis very short, 2 to 2.8" [5 to 7 cm] long overall, simultaneously 2 flowered inflorescence with very short, triangular, acute, embracing, hidden within the spathes floral bracts and carrying resupinate, pale apple green, semen scented flowers with white calli .

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 lagotis, Epidendrum pachyclinium, Epidendrum platypetalum and Epidendrum vesicicaule.

"Epidendrum falcivesicicaule belongs to GROUP Megalospathum characterized by the caespitose but branching habit, many-leaved stem, fleshy, oblique leaves, a short, few flowered, raceme subtended by large semi-ovate spathaceous bracts, resupinate flowers, the column more or less united to the lip, and the SUBGROUP Vesicicaule which has a sympodial habit, numerous leaves throughout the stems, the leaves concolor, green, lip cordiform and bicallose. The species is recognized by the lanceolate leaves 1.12 to 2.12" x .32 to .52" [2.8 to 5.3 x 0.8 to 1.3 cm], a 2 flowered elongate inflorescence, with two imbricating spathes, flowers apple green, the calli and disc of the lip white, sepals .72" [18 mm] long, lip widely cordiform, with a pair of calli, elongate, prominent, on a thickened, rounded platform, white, spongy; growing at elevations of 1900 to 2700 meters; column straight, clinandrium-hood slightly incurved. Epidendrum vesicicaule has narrowly lanceolate leaves 1.4 to 2.4" x .16 to .32" [3.5 to 6.0 x 0.4 to 0.8 cm], an orbicular-cordiform lip with a pair of small, parallel, low calli, extended into an elliptic fleshy, thickened disc which nearly reaches the apex of the lip; column slightly upturned towards along the basal half, clinandrium-hood fleshy, truncate, straight; growing at elevations of 3500 to 3800 meters. Epidendrum miradoranum Dodson & D.E.Benn. has ovate-lanceolate leaves .48 to 1.08" x .2 to .4" [1.2 to 2.7 x 0.5 to 1.0 cm], a single apical spathe .64" [16 mm] long, and up to 4 green flowers slightly tinged pale pink, sepals .88 to 1" [22 to 25 mm] long, and the lip rectangular-reniform, with two short, sub-orbicular calli. Epidendrum chaparense Dodson & R.Vásquez has shorter linear-lanceolate leaves, 1 x .32" [25 x 8 mm], a two-flowered inflorescence, flowers smaller, greenish white, sepals .52" [13 mm] long, lip sub-orbicular, with a pair of short, globose calli. Epidendrum cardiomorphum Hágsater & E.Santiago has somewhat larger leaves, 1.6 to 3.44" [4.0 to 8.6 cm] long, a single spathe subtending the inflorescence, pale green, membranaceous flowers, the lip cordiform with multiple thickened veins and two small calli, laterally compressed, the disc with three very thin, low, parallel ribs which disappear before the middle of the lip, and with multiple radiating thickened veins; clinandrium-hood slightly surpassing the body of the column, fleshy, straight. Epidendrum platypetalum Hágsater has narrowly ovate leaves, .2 to 1.84" x .12 to .44" [0.5 to 4.6 x 0.3 to 1.1 cm], sessile inflorescence subtended by a single spathe, reddish green flowers, the disc of the lip with small calli and white ribs, growing at elevations around 2500 meters. Epidendrum pachyclinium Hágsater & E.Santiago has obliquely lanceolate leaves, 1.12 to 3.32"x .24 to .44" [2.8 to 8.3 x 0.6 to 1.1 cm], a sessile, two-flowered inflorescence, sepals .68" [17 mm] long, the lip orbicular-cordiform with 2 laminar calli and 2 short, inconspicuous ribs; column arched, clinandrium-hood very fleshy, prominent and slightly upturned. Epidendrum lagotis Rchb.f. has ovate-elliptic leaves .8 to 2.4" x .4 to .92" [2 to 6 x 1.0 to 2.3 cm], a single obliquely semi-ovate spathe, sepals .68 to 1" [17 to 25 mm] long, petals widely spatulate, .84 x .32" [21 x 8 mm], and the lip orbicular, with a pair of small sub-spherical calli." Hagsater etal 2016

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1574 Hagsater & Sanchez 2016 see recognition section; *Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1581 Hagsater & Santiago 2016 photo/drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [2] Plate 1590 Hagsater & Sanchez 2016 see recognition section; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 Photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1805 2020 See recognition section

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