Epidendrum microtigriphyllum Ocupa, Hagsater, & Santiago 2020 GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Tigrifolium

LCDP Photo by © L Ocupa H and Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1824 2020

Common Name The Small E. tigrifolium Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.6" [4 cm]

Found in Peru on the eastern slope of the Andes in wet montane forest on shrubs and boulders at elevations of 1800 to 2400 meters as a miniature to small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte or lithophyte with cane-like, erect, terete stems the lower part covered with several tubular, pale green, turning brown, non-foliar sheaths, and carrying numerous, all along the stem, spreading perpendicular to the stem, tubular, pale green leaf sheaths ovate-lanceolate, acute, grayish green, sometimes with transverse purple bands leaves that blooms in the winter and fall on a terminal, rising through 2, prominent, semi-ovate, conduplicate, oblique, obtuse spathes that enveloped the peduncle, arising on a mature stem, sessile, peduncle to .4" [1 cm] long, simultaenoulsy 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence with very small, triangular, acute, hidden within the spathe floral bracts and carrying resupinate, non fragrant flowers

"Epidendrum microtigriphyllum belongs to GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Tigriphyllum characterized by the caespitose but branching habit, the many-leaved stem, fleshy, oblique leaves, a short, few flowered, raceme subtended by large semi-ovate spathaceous bracts, resupinate flowers, and the column more or less united to the lip, and the GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Tigriphyllum which is characterized by the plants generally pendant and the leaves ovate to lanceolate, with purple-reddish transversal lines. The new species is recognized by the comparatively small leaves, .4 to 1.2" x .16 to .4" [1.0 to 3.0 x 0.4 to 1.0 cm], the column straight with fleshy prominent clinandrium-hood, and the lip cordiform-reniform, widest beyond the middle, and callus prominent, entire, broad, white, the sides formed by semi-orbicular thickenings. Epidendrum tigriphyllum Hágsater has pendulous plants, larger leaves, .64 to 1.52" x .02 to .06" [1.6 to 3.8 x 0.5 to 1.5 mm], narrower petals .84" x .064 to .08" [21 x 1.6 to 2.0 mm], the column a very prominent, fleshy with an expanded clinandrium-hood, and the lip spade-shaped, with only a slightly cordate base, obtuse apex, with a narrow, prominent callus divided into 4 lobes, one pair superimposed on the other pair. Epidendrum miradoranum Dodson & D.E.Benn. has ovate-lanceolate leaves .48 to 1.08" x .2 to .4" [1.2 to 2.7 x 0.5 to 1.0 cm], a single apical spathe .64" [16 mm] long, and up to 4 green flowers slightly tinged pale pink, sepals .88 to 1" [22 to 25 mm long, and the lip rectangular-reniform with two short, sub-orbicular calli. Epidendrum chaparense Dodson & R.Vásquez has narrowly lanceolate, oblique leaves, .56 to 1" x .12 to .32" [1.4 to 2.5 x 0.3 to 0.8 cm], a two-flowered inflorescence, flowers smaller, pale greenish white, sepals .52 to .56" [13 to 14 mm] long, and the lip sub-orbicular with a pair of short, globose calli" Hagsater etal 2020

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1824 2020 Photos fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1829 2020 Photos fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1839 Hagsater & Santiago 2020 see recognition section

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