Epidendrum leeanum (Rchb.f.) Hágsater 2008 GROUP Psilanthemum
Photo by Lloyd Gross and his Flickr photo website
TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website
MOSTLY
THROUGH MID
Common Name Lee's Epidendrum [Orchid Grower in England 1800's]
Flower Size to 1/2" [to 1.25 cm]
Found in Colombia in the Llanos orientales and the foothills of the cordillera oriental and in Venezuela in the cordillera Costanera at elevations of 100 to 400 meters as a miniature to small sized, hot growing epiphyte with fusiform,, homoblastic pseudobulbs enveloped basally by tubular, striate, scarious sheaths and carrying 2 to 3, aggregate towards the apex, alternate, articulate, erect-spreading, oblong to lanceolate, subacute, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the fall through mid spring on a abortive pseudobulb so as to appear basal from the rhizome, racemose to paniculate, compact, slightly arching, terete, thin, 13 to 20 flowered inflorescence with 4 to 6 tubular bracts and triangular, acute, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts. and carrying simultaneously opening, resupinate, fragrant flowers.
Differs from Epidendrum stamfordianum Batem. in the shorter plant with proportionately thicker pseudobulbs, smaller, greenish yellow with lilac-rose spots and a lip and column that is white tinged with pink and red dots.
"Epidendrum leeanum belongs to the GROUP Psilanthemum which is recognized by the fusiform pseudobulbs, racemose to paniculate inflorescence usually arising from an abortive pseudobulb, attractive flowers with a 4-lobed lip, the lobes divaricate, oblong, the flowers yellowish dotted with reddish-purple. The species has short, thick stems, relatively small, crowded, pink flowers. It is very similar to Epidendrum stamfordianum Batem. which has taller plants with proportionately thinner pseudobulbs, and larger, yellow and white flowers, with reddish-purple dots but no pink hue." Hagsater etal 2008
Synonyms *Epidendrum stamfordianum var. leeanum Rchb.f. 1888
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 11 Plate 1137 Hagsater & Sanchez 2008 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 11 Plate 1182 Hagsater 2008 see recognition section; Orchids of the Department of Valle De Cauca Colombia Vol 2 Kolanowska, Hagsater etal. 2014 drawing/photo fide; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 Photo fide;
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