Epidendrum macphersonii Hágsater & E.Santiago 2015 GROUP Macrostachyum

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

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Common Name Macpherson’s Epidendrum [American curator of Missouri Botanical Garden and Collector of the type specimen current]

Flower Size 1.2” [3 cm]

Found in Antioquia department of Colombia on the upper western slope of the Cordillera Occidental at elevations around 2150 meters as an indetermined sized, cold growing epiphyte with branching when mature [only a portion of the plant was seen] stems carrying 4 persistent, on a branch, aggregate towards the apex of the stem, narrowly elliptic, subobtuse, margin slightly revolute in herbarium specimens leaves that blooms in the late fall and early winter on a terminal, without a spathe, racemose, erect, occuring only once, peduncle terete, .32” [8 mm] long, erect, straight; rachis straight, simultaneously 7 to 8 flowered inflorescence with prominent much longer than the ovary, triangular, acute amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, fleshy, dull red flowers.

"Epidendrum macphersonii belongs to the GROUP Macrostachyum, which is characterized by the monopodial plants with sub-apical branching, rugose leaf sheaths, large leaves generally spreading, racemose, erect inflorescence, and fleshy flowers generally green to black (ripe olive colored), as well as yellow to pink to purple, with an entire, conduplicate, generally ecallose and pubescent lip embracing the column, and the nectary pubescent to papillose in front of the stigmatic cavity and at least at the base of the lip. The species is recognized by the elliptic leaves, triangular floral bracts, longer than the ovary, flowers simultaneous, dull red, lateral sepals .64" [14 mm] long, with a high laminar dorsal keel, the apical margin erose, petals oblong, the apex rounded, anther with an apical, truncate rostrum. Epidendrum rostrigerum Rchb.f. has narrower floral bracts, the apices acuminate, sepals .36 to .44" [9 to 11 mm] long, without any dorsal keel, anther with a long rostrum. Epidendrum probosantherum Hágsater has green flowers, somewhat tinged purple, sepals with a minute dorsal apicule, petals linear with the apex obtuse, anther with a long rostrum, the rostrum reminiscent of an elephant's trunk. Epidendrum coordinatum Rchb.f. has greenish or pale yellow flowers, lanceolate leaves, the sepals very fleshy, apically uncinate, the petals oblong, acute, falcate." Hagsater etal 2015

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1536 Hagsater & Santiago 2015 drawing fide

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