Epidendrum fruticulus Schltr. 1921 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Soratae
Drawing by © Lopez and The Herbario AMO Publications Website
TYPE Drawing by © Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
THROUGH LATE 
Common Name or Meaning The Bushy Epidendrum
Flower Size .5" [1.25 cm]
Found in central Peru at elevations of 3000 to 3600 meters as a medium sized, cold growing lithophyte with much branched subapically, cane-like, laterally compressed, somewhat sinuous, basal stem, larger stems with progressively smaller branches, carrying all along stem, articulate, erect, somewhat oblong to ovate, rounded, bilobed leaves that blooms in the summer through late fall on a terminal, ocuring only once, suberect, short, .4" [to 1 cm] long including the very short, terete, thin peduncle, simultaneously 8 to 12 flowered inflorescence enveloped completely by the much shorter than the ovary, lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts.
"Epidendrum fruticulum belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Soratae characterized by the monopodial stem, branching habit, acute to acuminate leaves and infundibuliform sheaths. The species is recognized by the tall plants, short, oblong to ovate, rounded, bilobed leaves, a short, sub-erect inflorescence, the deeply 3-lobed lip, the midlobe rectangular, widened and rounded at the apex which is somewhat emarginate, linear petals and .36" [9 mm] long sepals. It is florally nearly identical to Epidendrum chrysomyristicum Hágsater & E.Santiago which has narrowly elliptic, acute leaves, a deeply 3-lobed lip, with the midlobe rectangular, twice as long as it is wide and bilobed at the apex with a minute apicule in the middle. Epidendrum soratae Rchb.f. has a reniform lip with two small lobules at the apex and .24 to .28" [6 to 7 mm] long sepals, the leaves are narrower, .16 to .32" [4 to 8 mm] wide. Epidendrum cartilaginiflorum Rchb.f. has a cordiform lip, apex obtuse, rounded, and the sepals are .6 to .64" [15 to 16 mm] long. Epidendrum bolivianum Schltr. has .52" [13 mm] long sepals, non-infundibuliform sheaths, the lip quadrate-reniform in outline. Epidendrum scopulorum Rchb.f. is vegetatively similar, but with shorter, sub-parallel branches, adpressed leaves, purple-violaceous flowers, and a cordiform lip." Hagsater etal 2009
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 9: 84 Schlechter 1921 as E fruticulus; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. Figuren-Atlas 57: 462 Schlechter 1929 as E fruticulus drawing fide; Orchids of Peru Vol 2 Fieldiana Schweinfurth 1959; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 723 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Vol 8 Plate 900 Hagsater & Sanchez 2006 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1206 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidaceaum 12 Plate 1248 Hagsater & Sanchez 2009 drawing fide
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