Epidendrum ornithidii Schltr. 1921 GROUP Kalopternix SUBGROUP Serpens

TYPE Drawing by © Schlechter

Common Name The Ornithidium Like Epidendrum [refers to this species similarity to a species of Ornithidium]

Flower Size

Found in Chimborazo province of Ecuador in subAndean forests as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with a short, decumbent rhizome giving rise to approximate, ovoid pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, spreading, lanceolate-ligulate, acute leaf that blooms on a terminal, sessile, short, densely few flowered inflorescence with ovate, thin, much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying glabrous, ruby colored flowers.

"Epidendrum ornithidii Schltr. belongs to the GROUP Kaloptenix SUBGROUP Serpens characterized by the aggregate, globose pseudobulbs with fleshy-coriaceous leaves, a sessile inflorescence, one or few fleshy, compact, star-shaped flowers, often burgundy red in color, and an entire lip, more or less cordiform. The species is pendent growing with new stems produced sub-apically from previous stem, 2.4" [6 cm] long with a short, decumbent rhizome, 1 leaf per pseudobulb, an apical, sessile inflorescence, densely few-flowered, flowers wine-red, with sepals partly spreading and lip reniform-orbiculate, margin crenulate-dentate, disc 3-keel. Epidendrum citroserpens has 2 leaves per pseudobulb, an inflorescence with 2 to 3 simultaneous flowers, greenish yellow, lateral sepals have a low dorsal keel at the apex, sub-orbicular lip, short-apiculate, concave in natural position, margin dentate, ecallose, disc with a thickened keel, and 3 thin veins. Epidendrum pachycoleum Hágsater, O.Pérez & E.Santiago has erect plants, aggregate pseudobulbs, 1 to 2, elliptic leaves, the apical one often much reduced, flowers produced in succession, sometimes 2 open at one time, sepals ovate, lateral sepals dorsally pustulate, petals narrowly oblong, lip with a wide, low, central, prominent mid-rib. Epidendrum serpens Lindl. also has erect plants, 2-3 leaves per pseudobulb, leaves ovate-lanceolate, violet flowers, linear-lanceolate petals, and the lip sub-rounded-ovate, margin minutely serrulate" Adapted from E citroserpens plate 1713 Hagsater etal 2019

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 8: 78 Ecuador Schlechter 1921; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 57:352 Figuren Atlas Schlechter 1929 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1713 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section

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