Epidendrum oxybatesii Hágsater & Dodson 2004 GROUP Batesii

TYPE Drawing by © Lopez and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Sharp E batesii Epidendrum [refers to the acicular pointed midlobe of the lip that distinguishes this species from E batesii]

Flower Size 1.2” [3 cm]

Found in northern Ecuador on the western slopes of the Andes at elevations of 600 to 1500 meters as a small sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte with branching near the apex, branches very short, cane-like, terete, erect stems carrying a single persistent, larger, apical leaf on the main stem, 2 to 3 on the branches, all along the apical half, subcoriaceous, alternate, with a tubular, striated warty sheath, narrowly elliptic, subacute, margin entire, smooth unequal leaves that blooms in the winter and spring on a terminal, without a spathe, without a peduncle, racemose, subsessile, rachis totally hidden by the floral bracts, successively single, 2 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, ttriangular, acute floral bracts and carrying yellowish green flowers.

"Epidendrum oxybatesii belongs to the GROUP Batesii, which is characterized by the main stem with a subapical branching habit, acute leaves, successive flowers, opening one at a time, deep nectary, entire to 3-lobed lip with the lateral lobes more or less fimbriate to erose. The new species is distinguished by the pale, yellowish green, concolor flowers, acuminate tepals, 3-veined petals, deeply 3-lobed lip with the semiovate, dolabriform, lateral lobes narrower at the junction, crenate to laciniate margin, and the acicular midlobe. It is similar to Epidendrum batesii which has yellow to pinkish tepals with a white lip, less deeply 3-lobed lip with the midlobe short and truncate. Epidendrum acrobatesii Hágsater & Dodson has smaller flowers, the sepals .44 to .48" [11 to 12 mm] long, narrower, linear-oblanceolate, single veined petals and a truncate, obcuneate midlobe. Epidendrum silverstonei Hágsater has oblanceolate, rounded, 3-veined petals and an entire, suborbicular, deeply cordate lip. Epidendrum farallonense Hágsater has smaller flowers, and a large, rectangular, truncate midlobe of the lip. Epidendrum laceratum C. Schweinf. has narrow, linear-elliptic leaves, small flowers, .22 to .24" [5.5 to 6 mm] long sepals, linear-elliptic, 3-veined petals and an entire, deeply lacerate lip with an entire, triangular-ovate, obtuse apex. Epidendrum cardiobatesii Hágsater & Dodson has oblong, subrounded leaves, .42 to .56" [15 to 16 mm] long sepals, linear-elliptlc, 3-veined petals and a deeply heart-shaped, apiculate lip." Hagsater etal. 2004

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 719 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; * Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 771 Hagsater & Dodson 2004 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 11 Plate 1134 Hagsater 2008 see recognition section;

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