Epidendrum microcarpum Hágsater & Dodson 2001 GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum

Photo by © Alexander Reynolds.

TYPE Drawing

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website

Common NameThe Small Fruited Epidendrum

Flower Size 1/4" [8mm]

Found in southern Colombia and northcentral Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations around 1300 meters as a medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with erect, branching when mature, cane-like, terete, shortly branched stems carrying 5 to 6, on the branches, along all of the stem, alternate, spreading, elliptic-lanceolate, acute apically, minutely erose-denticulate marginally, articulate below into the base leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, erect, occuring only once, racemose, sinuous inflorescence with shorter than to equal to the length of the ovary, triangular, finely erose margined floral bracts and carrying 3 to 9, simultaneously opening, non-resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum microcarpum is part of the GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum characterized by the erect, branching, cane-like stems giving rise to an erect to arching, many flowered inflorescence without a spathe the very fleshy lip that is folded and embracing the column and a pubescent to papillose nectary in front of the stigmatic cavity. The species is closely related to E. chondrochilum Schltr., but is recognized by its 9 to 12 simultaneous much smaller flowers, sepals .26" [6.5 mm] long, petals linear and the lip triangular when spread. Epidendrum palaciosii Hágsater & Dodson has many more flowers, with the .28 to .32" [7 to 8 mm] long sepals muriculate outside, and the petals oblanceolate. E. chondrochilum Schltr., has many larger successive flowers. Epidendrum dermatanthum Krzl. has petals nearly as wide as the sepals. Epidendrum oxycalyx Hágsater & Dodson has larger flowers, the sepals 15-23 mm long, acuminate sepals and petals, and a cordiform-triangular lip. Epidendrum pachyneuron Schltr. has .06" [15 mm] long sepals, and short leaves, 1.2 to 1.6" x .4 to .56" [30 to 40 x 10 to 14 mm]. Epidendrum platybracteatum Hágsater, from northwestern Colombia has a compact inflorescence and large, wide floral bracts." Hagsater etal 2001

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum Part 4 Plate 458 Hagsater 2001 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 776 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1505 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 15 [1] Plate 1563 Hagsater & Sanchez 2015 see recognition section; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 drawing good;

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