Epidendrum leiomesomicron Hagsater & Santiago 2020 GROUP Ampelospathum
TYPE Drawing by © M. A. López R. and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1817 2020
Common Name The Smooth Lip and small mid-lobe E mesomicron-like Epidendrum
Flower Size .88" [2.2 cm]
Found in Azuay province of Ecuador in upper montane forests close to the timberline at elevations around 3300 meters as a large sized, cold growing caespitose epiphyte with , cane-like, laterally compressed, erect,
straight sdtems carrying 8 all along the apical half of the stem, subequal in size, articulate, sub-spreading, coriaceous, green, oblong, obtuse, margin entire, spreading leaves that blooms in the late fall on a terminal, erect, arising through 2, tubular, obtuse, partially imbricating spathes, peduncle 4" [10 cm] long, terete, thin, rachis 4.6" [11.5 cm] long, racemose to paniculate, laxly simultaneously 14 to 23 flowered inflorescence with narrowly triangular, acuminate, embracing, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, non-fragrant flowers.
"Epidendrum leiomesomicron the belongs to the GROUP Ampelospathum which is characterized by the simple, cane-like,
few-leaved stems, with 1 to 2, tubular, tight spathes at the base of a racemose, or few branched, erect inflorescence, and the flowers
resupinate or not. The new species is recognized by the small leaves, 3.32 to 3.6" x .76 to .92" [8.3 to 9.0 x 1.9 to 2.3 cm], oblong, sub-spreading, the erect
inflorescence with 2 prominent, imbricated spathes 1.4 to 3.8" [3.5-9.5 cm] long, the non-resupinate flowers yellowish green the sepals dorsally
tinged brown, and the lip 3-lobed, the mid-lobe triangular, the surface of the lip smooth. Epidendrum mesomicron Lindl. has leaves 1.28 to 5.6" x 1 to 1.88" [3.2 to
14 x 2.5 to 4.7 cm], oblong to oblong-elliptic, a single spathe, an erect inflorescence with resupinate flowers, the clinandrium-hood
margin sub-crenate, and the lip with the veins prominently thickened. Epidendrum melanoxeros Hágsater & Dodson has larger leaves 5 to 5.8" X 1.04 to 1.16" [12.5 to 14.5 x 2.6 to 2.9 cm], narrowly elliptic, yellowish green flowers with an arching, nutant inflorescence, and the lip 3-lobed with the
mid-lobe oblong. Epidendrum ampelomelanoxeros Hágsater, E.Santiago & E.Parra has the new stem produced from a middle internode
of the previous stem, the leaves 1.68 to 4.6" X .04 to .12" [4.2 to 11.5 x 1.0 to 3.0 cm], narrowly ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, sub-parallel to the stem, the
inflorescence 7.2 to 9.6" [18 to 24 cm] long, arching nutant, the flowers greenish yellow tinged red, and the mid-lobe of the lip oblong-triangular." Hagsater & Cisneros 2020
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1817 2020 photos fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1823 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 sdee recognition section
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