Epidendrum imitans Schltr. 1921 GROUP Spathiger SUBGROUP Coriifolium

TYPE Drawing by Schlechter

Common Name The Imitating Epidendrum [refers to its similarity to E coriifolium]

Flower Size .8" [2 cm]

Found in French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru at elevations around 2200 meters as a medium sized, cold growing epiphyte with simple, somewhat compressed stems carrying 2 to 3, apical, erect-spreading, ligulate, obtuse, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the spring and summer on a terminal, erect, distichous, as long to slightly longer than the leaf, peduncle short, with 3 compressed, obtuse, spathe like bracts that almost are equal in length as the flowers, 10 to 15 flowered inflorescence carrying fleshy, coriaceous, rigid, glabrous, brownish flowers

E imitans differs from the often stated synomonous E coriifolium by having closely imbricating floral bracts with rounded apices, several simultaneously opening flowers with linear petals and a subtriangular lip.

"Epidendrum imitans Schltr. is part of GROUP Spathiger SUBGROUP Coriifolium Characterized by the sympodial habit, coriaceous leaves, and the racemose, distichous inflorescence carrying fleshy green to purplish flowers. The species hails from the eastern slope of the Andes in Central Ecuador has closely imbricating floral bracts with the apex rounded, several flowers flowering simultaneously, linear petals and a subtriangular lip. Epidendrum amazonicoriifolium has a caespitose growth habit, stems with 3 to 6 coriaceous, strap-like leaves, the erect, distichous, ancipitose inflorescence with open, long acute floral bracts, the apex pointed parallel to the rachis, successive flowers, produced 1 to 2 at a time, and single veined, linear-lanceolate petals. It is closely related to Epidendrum villotae Hágsater & Dodson from the Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador, which can be distinguished by the 3-veined, oblanceolate petals and wider leaves. Epidendrum coriifolium Lindl.,with semiterete, thick leaves is endemic to Costa Rica and northern Panama. Epidendrum allochronum Hágsater has 2 to 4 leaves which are wider .76 to 1.48" [1.9 to 3.2 cm], and the floral bracts are rounded and extended, the apex not pointing inwards." adapted from Plate 409 Hagsater etal 2001

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 8: 74 Ecuador Schlechter 1921; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. Altlas Figuren 57: 345 Schlechter 1929 Drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 36 #9 1967 as E coriifolium; Flora de Venezuela Volumen XV Part 3 Foldats 1970 as E coriifolium drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 398 Hagsater & Sanchez 1999 see recognition section; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 1 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 not = E amazonicoriifolium; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 409 Hagsater 2001 see recognition section;

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