IOSPE PHOTOS

Epidendrum oxycalyx Hágsater & Dodson 1993 GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum

Photo by Š Orquideologia and The Sociedad Colombiana de Orquideologia Website

TYPE Drawing by Š Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website

LATE EARLY

Common Name The Pointed Outer Whorl Epidendrum [refers to the acuminate sepals]

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in montane and cloud forests at elevations of 2600 to 3000 meters as a medium to giant sized, cold growing terrestrial or lithophyte with erect, branching, canelike stems carrying numerous, all along the stem, coriaceous, elliptic-lanceolate, acute, apical margins finely erose leaves that blooms in late winter and early spring on a terminal, on the main stem and branches, racemose, peduncle ancipitous, with one triangular bract, peduncle short, 8" [20 cm] long overall, rachis filiform, 2 to 5 flowered inflorescence with longer than the ovary, triangular, acuminate floral bracts and carrying alternate, non-resupinate flowers.

"Epidendrum oxycalyx is part of GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum characterized by the monopodial plants with sub-apical branching, rugose leaf sheaths, large leaves generally spreading, racemose, erect inflorescence, and fleshy flowers generally green to black (ripe olive colored), as well as yellow to pink to purple, with an entire, conduplicate, generally ecallose and pubescent lip embracing the column, and the nectary pubescent to papillose in front of the stigmatic cavity and at least at the base of the lip. The species is closely related to E . chondrochilum, but is distinguished by the acuminate, not obtuse, floral segments and the triangular, deeply cordate lip; it also has larger, acute leaves and sometimes a paniculate inflorescence; the ornamentation in the nectarium, in front of the stigmatic cavity, consists of elongated papillae which are facing inwards. E. palaciosii Hágsater & Dodson has flowers about one-third the size and sepals muriculate outside, not keeled. E. dermatanthum Kraenzl. has petals nearly as wide as the sepals." Hagsater etal 1993

Synonyms

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