Epidendrum isaucapitellatum Hágsater & E.Santiago 2013 GROUP Capitellatum
TYPE Photo by I. Huamantupa/ TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website
LATE
Common Name Isau's E capitellatum Epidendrum [refers to Isau Huamantupa, Peruvian botanist and avid orchid student current and its similarity to E capitellatum]
Flower Size .2" [.5 mm]
Found in Cusco department of Peru in the upper basin of the Urubamba river at elevations of 2600 to 3800 meters as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, basally terete, laterally compressed above, new stem arising from near the base of the previous stem carrying 10 to 12, all along the stem, alternate, coriaceous, unequal in size, basal and apical ones smaller, ovatge-elliptic, acute, margin crenulate leaves that blooms in the late spring on a terminal, arising on a mature stem, without a spathe, peduncle .2 to .4" [5 to 10 mm] long, laterally compressed, short, totally hidden within a single, leaf-like, infundibuliform bract, capitate, sub-globose, simultaneoulsy 10 to 11 flowered inflorescence with prominent, half as long as the ovary, triangular-ovate, acute, amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying resupinate, green flowers without fragrance data.
"Epidendrum isaucapitellatum belongs to the GROUP Capitellatum which is characterized by the erect, succulent stems with non-articulate leaves, with a spherical head of fleshy greenish flowers, and without any spathaceous bract. The species is recognized by the relatively tall plants, 6.4 to 9.2" [16 to 23 cm] tall, ovate-elliptic leaves, .48 to 2.2" x .4 to ,88" [1.2 to 5.5 x 1.0 to 2.2 cm], proportion 2.5:1 (length:width), the leaves are slightly imbricating, so that only part of the sheath is visible; the lateral sepals ovate-elliptic, 2.72 to 2.96" [6.8 to 7.4 mm] long, oblanceolate petals, and the entire, reniform lip. Epidendrum capitellatum is vegetatively very similar but has narrower leaves .2 to .64" [0.5-1.6 cm] wide, proportion 3:1 (length:width), more spaced along the stems, the sheath and a part of the stem clearly visible, lateral sepals elliptic, and the lip is 3-lobed. Epidendrum pterogastrium Hágsater has shorter plants 4" [10 cm] tall), shorter leaves .44 to 1.2" x .28 to .4" [1.1to 3 x 0.7 to 1.0 cm], elliptic sepals .72" [5.8 mm] long and the reniform lip has an erose margin. Epidendrum rhombicapitellatum Hágsater & Dodson has very short plants 2" [5 cm] tall, sepals .148 to .16" [3.7 to 4 mm] long, and the 3-lobed lip has a rhombic mid-lobe, column is .8" [2 mm] long with the apex arching upwards." Hagsater etal 2013
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 14 Plate 1445 Hágsater et E.Santiago 2013 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 16[2] Plate 1684 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 see recognition section; ; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1851 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 see recognition section
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