TYPE LCDP by © R. Medina T. & A. Cisneros/TYPE Photo by R. Medina T. and The AMO Herbario Website
Common Name Suborbicular Leaf E geminiflorum Epidendrum [in reference to the twin flowered inflorescence typical of the geminiflorum subgroup, and the nearly circular leaves that are typical of this species]
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in southern Colombia, from the eastern and western slopes of the Macizo Colombiano at elevations of 1500 to 2300 meters scrambling among bushes on ledges and in low forests as a mini-miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, produced from the middle of the previous stem, terete below, laterally compressed towards the apex stem, the base covered by non-foliar, becoming fibrous and scarious with age sheaths and carrying 2, aggregate towards the apex of the stem, alternate, articulate, coriaceous; tubular, somewhat infundibuliform towards the apex when dry, minutely striated sheath; blade sub-orbicular, apex bilobed, margin entire, spreading leaves that blooms in the spring and summer on a terminal, erect, arising through 1 to 2, oblong-obovate, obtuse, conduplicate in natural position spathe, peduncle .88 to 1.6" [2.2 to 4.0 cm] long, totally hidden within the spathe; rachis ca. .24" [6 mm] long, 2 to 3.8" [5.0 to 9.5 cm] long (including flowers), apical, erect, simultaneouslt 2 to 3 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, narrowly triangular, acute, embracing floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, pale green turning somewhat yellow flowers with thefragrance not registered.
"Epidendrum geminisuborbiculatum belongs to the GROUP Geminiflorum characterized by the sympodial habit, the creeping rhizome, the unbranched stem, 1 to 2 spathes, and a few-flowered inflorescence, the flowers non-resupinate, more than .8" [2 cm] in diameter, and the disc of the lip is not excavate, with a pair of laminar calli. The new species is recognized by the small plants, stems 2.8 to 6.4" [7 to 16 cm] long, leaves 1.12 to 2.68" x .68 to 1.6" [2.8 to 6.7 x 1.7 to 4.0 cm], sub-orbicular, 2 pale green flowers turning yellow, sepals .68 to .76" x .2 to .22" [17 to 19 x 5.0 to 5.5 mm], margins slightly revolute, petals .68 to .72" x .16 to .18" [17 to 18 x 4.0 to 4.5 mm], narrowly sub-rhombic, and the lip .6 x .64" [15 x 16 mm], slightly 3-lobed, lateral lobes hemi-orbicular. Epidendrum cuencanum is vegetatively similar but has the stems longer, 17-20 cm long, leaves 1.8 to 3.6" x .6 to 1.72" [4.5 to 9.0 x 1.5 to 4.3 cm], widely elliptic, 2 to 5 flowers greenish white, sepals .842" [21.5 mm] long, petals .8 x .08" [20 x 2 mm], linear, and a lip .52 x .5" [13 x 12.5 mm], entire and cordiform. Epidendrum geminiflorum Kunth has stems 6 to 8.8" [15 to 22 cm] long, leaves 1.08 to 3.6" x .48 to 1.04" [2.7 to 9.0 x 1.2 to 2.6 cm], oblong; 2 to 3, green to greenish yellow flowers, sepals .64 to .72" x .14 to .18" [14 to 18 x x 3.5 to 4.5 mm], petals .576 to .64" x .108 to .132" [14.4 to 16 x 2.7 to 3.3 mm], narrowly lanceolate, and a lip .4 to .52" x .32 to .28" [10 to 13 x 8 to 12 mm], 3-lobed. Epidendrum geminiochraceum Hágsater, E.Santiago & Medina Tr., has leaves .12 to .52" x .048 to .132" [3.0 to 13 x 1.2 to 3.3 mm], oblong; flowers orange to ochre-orange, sepals .84 to. 92" x .26 to .32" [21 to 23 x 6.5 to 8 mm], lanceolate, shortly acuminate, petals .732 to .76" x .16 to .24" [18.3 to 19.0 x 4.0 to 6.0 mm], lanceolate, acuminate, and a lip .6 to .68" x .64 to .66" [15 to 17 x 16.0 to 16.5 mm], 3-lobed, with a low mid-rib." Hagsater etal 2020
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(2) Plate 1768 Hagsater & Jimenez 2020 Drawing fide;
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