Epidendrum hamatum (Garay) Dressler 1971 GROUP Mancum SUBGROUP Stenoglossum

LCDP Photo by © M. Rincón G. Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1872 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021

Common Name The Hook-Shaped Epidendrum [refers to the lip]

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in Antioquia department of Colombia on the Cordillera Central at elevations of 1800 to 2300 meters as a small to medium sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with cane-like, arising from the lower nodes of the previous stem, erect, straight, terete toward the base, laterally compressed towards the apex stems with the base enveloped by 1 to 2 non-leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying, 1 to rarely 2, lanceolate-elliptic oblong, obtuse, aristate, margin entire leaves that blooms in the fall on an erect then slightly to completely arching, apical, racemose, cylindrical, generally densely 25 to 28, simultaneously flowered inflorescence arising through 1 to rarely 2, ancipitous, oblong, acute, aristate spathaceous bracts and carrying non-resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum hamatum belongs to the GROUP Mancum which is characterized by the sympodial habit, few leaved stems, racemose inflorescence with 1 to 2 ancipitose, long, spathaceous bracts with parallel sides, and SUBGROUP Stenoglossum which has non resupinate flowers, a short column, the lip entire, linear, or 3-lobed and then the midlobe linear. Hagsater etal 2009

The species is recognized by the white flowers, sometimes the sepals slightly tinged pink, with rose spots on the apex of the column and calli and mid-rib of the lip, which ends in a rhomboid thickening. It has been confused with the new Epidendrum leopardihamatum Hágsater & Est.Domínguez, which is nearly identical in shape, but has green flowers dotted with brown, a light green column, and is well known in Antioquia in the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Occidental of the Colombian Andes. The better-known species is Epidendrum coryophorum (Kunth) Rchb.f. (Kunth) Rchb.f. which differs from the last by its pale purple flowers, sometimes with the apices of the sepals white. Epidendrum machinense M.F.Escal. & Rinc.-González M.F.Escal. & Rinc.-González is vegetatively similar, with flowers with yellow corolla stained purple-brown with yellow apices and a white lip and a column with numerous wine-red spots." Hagsater etal 2021

Epidendrum cylindrostachys Rchb.f. is superficially similar, has resupinate flowers, the lip membranaceous and not reduced, spreading sepals and petals, the lateral lobes of the lip falcate, the midlobe with a narrow, lanceolate-ligulate, fleshy isthmus, and the apex obtuse to retuse, the column.22 to .24" [5.5 to 6 mm] long." Hagsater etal 2009

Synonyms *Stenoglossum hamatum Garay 1969

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum Plate 400 Dodson 1980 as Stenoglossum coryophorum drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1230 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Part 12 Plate 1252 Hagsater 2009 drawing fide; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 drawing/Photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1818 2020 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1872 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 LCDP/Photo fide Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1878 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 see recognition section

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