IOSPE PHOTOS

Epidendrum miradoranum Dodson & D.E.Benn. 1989 GROUP Megalospathum SUBGROUP Vesicicaule

Photo by © Erica Morón

Common Name or Meaning The Mirador Epidendrum [A Town in Peru where the first species was collected]

Flower Size 1 3/4" [4.3 cm]

Found in Ecuador and Peru at elevations around 2400 to 2600 meters as a small sized, cold growing terrestrial on cool open, rocky slopes in cloud forest with cane-like, densely branched stems enveloped by approximate, tubular, articulated, foliaceous sheaths and carrying ovate-lanceolate, upper side with rose purple mottling, below pale green, acuminate leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, erect, much reduced racemose inflorescence arising from an open, loose, ovate spathe and has 1 to 4, simultaneously opening flowers.

"Epidendrum miradoranum belongs to GROUP Megalospathum characterized by the caespitose but branching habit, many-leaved stem, fleshy, oblique leaves, a short, few flowered, raceme subtended by large semi-ovate spathaceous bracts, resupinate flowers, the column more or less united to the lip, and the SUBGROUP Vesicicaule which has a sympodial habit, numerous leaves throughout the stems, the leaves concolor, green, lip cordiform and bicallose. The species is recognized by the 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 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 falcivesicicaule has lanceolate leaves 1.12 to 2.12" x .32 to .52" [2.8 to 5.3 x 0.8 to 1.3 cm], the inflorescence elongate and two-flowered, with two imbricated spathes, flowers apple green, the calli and disc of the lip white, sepals .72" [18 mm] long, lip widely cordiform, with a pair of calli, elongate, prominent, on a thickened, rounded platform, white, spongy; growing at 1900 to 2700 m altitude; column straight, clinandrium-hood slightly incurved. > Epidendrum vesicicaule has narrowly lanceolate leaves 1.4 to 2.4" X .16 to .32" [3.5 to 6.0 x 0.4 to 0.8 cm], an orbicular-cordiform lip with a pair of small, parallel, low calli, extended into an elliptic fleshy, thickened disc which nearly reaches the apex of the lip; column slightly upturned towards along the basal half, clinandrium-hood fleshy, truncate, straight; growing at 3500 to 3800 meters in altitude. 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 shorter linear-lanceolate leaves, 1 x .32” [25 x 8 mm], a two-flowered inflorescence, flowers smaller, greenish white, sepals .52” [13 mm] long, lip sub-orbicular, with a pair of short, globose calli. Epidendrum cardiomorphum Hágsater & E.Santiago has somewhat larger leaves, 1.6 to 3.44” [4.0 to 8.6 cm] long, a single spathe subtending the inflorescence, pale green, membranaceous flowers, the lip cordiform with multiple thickened veins and two small calli, laterally compressed, the disc with three very thin, low, parallel ribs which disappear before the middle of the lip, and with multiple radiating thickened veins; clinandrium-hood slightly surpassing the body of the column, fleshy, straight. Epidendrum platypetalum Hágsater Has narrowly ovate leaves, .2 to 1.84 x .12 to .44” [0.5 to 4.6 x 0.3-1.1 cm], sessile inflorescence subtended by a single spathe, reddish green flowers, the disc of the lip with small calli and white ribs, growing at 2500 meters in altitude. Epidendrum pachyclinium Hágsater & E.Santiago has obliquely lanceolate leaves, 2.8-8.3 x 0.6-1.1 cm, a sessile, two-flowered inflorescence, sepals 17 mm long, the lip orbicular-cordiform with 2 laminar calli and 2 short, inconspicuous ribs; column arched, clinandrium-hood very fleshy, prominent and slightly upturned. Epidendrum lagotis Rchb.f. has ovate-elliptic leaves 2-6 x 1.0-2.3 cm, a single obliquely semi-ovate spathe, sepals 17-25 mm long, petals widely spatulate, 21 x 8 mm, and the lip orbicular, with a pair of small sub-spherical calli." Hagsater etal

Synonyms