Epidendrum mocinoi Hágsater 1999 GROUP Spathiger SUBGROUP Rigidum

TYPE Drawing by © Hagsater and The AMO Herbaria Website

NOCTURNAL EARLIER THROUGH MID

Common Name Mocino’s Epidendrum [Spanish Orchid Collector 1800’s]

Flower Size 1.2” [3 cm]

Found in Guerrero and Mexico states of Mexico in oak/pine, oak and mixed evergreen forests at elevations of 1800 to 2000 meters as a medium sized, cool growing epiphyte with erect, simple,cane-like, new stem arising from the 4th or 5th internode of the previous stem, laterally compressed towards the apex stems carrying 4 to 6, all along the apical half of the stem, articulate, subcoriaceous, narrowly elliptic, bilobed, margin entire leaves that blooms in the earlier fall through mid winter on a terminal, without a spathe, on a mature stem, occuring only once, distichous, suberect, peduncel provided with 1 to 2, conduplicate bracts, laterally compressed, ancipitous, rachis naked, sinuous, successively 2 to 6, 5 to 16 flowered inflorescence with progressively shorter above, equal to or longer than the ovary, ovate, conduplicate, rounded, almost perpendicular to the rachis, non imbricate floral bracts and carrying concolr green, nocturnally lime scented flowers.

"Epidendrum mocinoi is part of GROUP Spathiger SUBGROUP Rigidum characterized by the non-secund, mostly small flowers with the lip <.48" [12 mm] long. The species closely resembles Epidendrum nitens, but is much larger overall, 4 to 6 leaved, with sepals usually .56 to .72" [14 to 18 mm] long, though sometimes smaller so that they would overlap in size with those of the latter which are generally .36 to .52" [9 to 13 mm] long and 2-leaved. Otherwise, the shape of the lip and other segments are very similar, E. mocinoi grows at higher altitudes. Both belong to GROUP Spathiger SUBGROUP Rigidum , which is recognized by its creeping habit, simple, distichous inflorescence, with prominent, conduplicate bracts." E. Hágsater 1999

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 357 Hagsater 1999 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 13 Plate 1361 Hagsater & Dodson 2010 See Recognition section; Orchids of Mexico Hagsater, Soto, Salazar, Jimenez, Lopez and Dressler 2005; Orchid Genera and Species in Guatemala Archila, Szlachchetko, Chiron, Lipinska, Mystkowska and Bertolini 2018

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