Epidendrum heterobracteatum Hágsater & H.Medina 2018 GROUP Cylindraceum
Photo by Eric Hagsater /TYPE dissection by Hugo Medina © courtesy of Eric Hagsater and Icones Orchidacearum 16(1): t. 1619 Hagsater etal 2018
Common Name The Different Bracted Epidendrum [refers to the different kinds of bracts of the peduncle of the inflorescence, which distinguishes this species]
Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]
Found in Loja province of Ecuador at elevations around 2000 meters as a medium sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, slightly laterally compressed, stems covered basally by two partially imbricating, acute, papiraceous, non-foliar sheaths, carrying 3 to 4, distributed throughout the apical third of the stem, sheaths tubular, striated when dry, blade oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse, margin entire, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the winter through spring on a terminal, without a spathe, peduncle 9.2" [23 cm] long, elongate, laterally compressed, the bottom half enveloped by 3-5 partly imbricating bracts acute, conduplicate, the upper half with progressively smaller partly spreading bracts, apical, racemose (probably producing new racemes from the middle of the peduncle which have vegetative buds beneath rachis .2 to 2.4" [.5 to 6 cm] long, successively few, eventually nearly all open at once, to 34 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, triangular, acuminate floral bracts and carrying resupinate flowers.
"Epidendrum heterobracteatum is in the GROUP Cylindraceum characterized by the sympodial habit, narrow spathaceous bracts with parallel sides an erect racemose inflorescence with non-resupinate flowers and a generally reduced, fleshy lip. The species is recognized by the sympodial, caespitose habit, stems relatively thick, with 3 to 4 large oblong-elliptic, obtuse leaves, apical inflorescence racemose (probably producing new racemes from the middle of the peduncle which have vegetative buds beneath the bracts), peduncle elongate, laterally compressed, the bottom half enveloped by 3 to 5 partly imbricating, acute, conduplicate bracts, the upper half with large bracts, these progressively smaller partly spreading, flowers resupinate, sepals and petals ochre-yellow, column and lip white, with pale purple dots near the base, lip cordate, deeply 3-lobed; bicallose, the calli digitiform; lateral lobes semi-orbicular, rounded; mid-lobe base a narrowly cuneate isthmus, apex bilobed, forming a pair of narrowly triangular, divaricate lobes. The raceme is somewhat reminiscent of Epidendrum cylindraceum Lindl., but the lateral lobes are semi-orbicular instead of falcate, the column is strongly arched in the middle, and the many bracts on the peduncle of the inflorescence, the lower ones large, tight, embracing the peduncle and imbricated and then progressively smaller and somewhat spreading are unlike any other species in Epidendrum." Hagsater etal 2018
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 16(1): t. 1619 Hagsater etal 2018 drawing/photo fide;
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