Epidendrum papillivesiculatum Hagsater & Santiago 2021 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Fritzianum

LCDP Photo by E Hagsater & A. Cisneros and Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1886 Hagsater & J Duarte 2021

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Common Name The Papillate Vesicle Epidendrum [refers to the clearly inflated nectary behind the perianth, forming a vesicle, and covered externally with papillae, which distinguishes this species from similar species]

Flower Size .3" [7.5 mm]

Found in San Martin and Huanaco departments of Peru on the eastern slope of the Andes without elevational data as a medium to just large sized, cool to cold growing, monopodial, terrestrial with cane like, terete, branching from subapical internodes, secondary stems much shorter than the primary stem and carrying 17 or more on the primary stem, 2 on the secondary stems, distributed throughout, subcoriaceous, sub-spreading, articulate, the lower ones deciduous when in flower; leaf sheaths tubular, the lower sheaths finely striated, the upper ones minutely verrucose, blade ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, margin entire, spreading leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on a terminal, erect, without a spathe, peduncle sessile; rachis 2.92 to 3.6" [7.3 to 9.0 cm] long, slightly sinuous, paniculate, with up to 5 racemes 1.2 to 2.2" [3.0 to 5.5 cm] long, sub-erect to arching, densely, successively 1 to 4, many-flowered inflorescence with shorter than the ovary, narrowly triangular, acute, embracing floral bracts and carrying resupinate flowers without color or fragrance data.

"Epidendrum papillivesiculatum belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Fritzianum which is characterized by the monopodial stems branched above, the ovate to ovate elliptic or ovate lanceolate, acute to short-acuminate leaves, the lateral sepals obliquely united to the base of the column, and clearly 3-lobed lip. The species is recognized by the leaves of the primary stem 1.4 to 2.2" x .52 to .68" [3.5 to 5.5 x 1.3 to 1.7 cm], ovate-lanceolate, sepals .352 to .36" [8.8 to 9.1 mm] long, the ovary ventrally inflated along the apical half forming a vesicle, papillose, the petals .346 x .64" [8.6 x 1.6 mm], the lip with a single mid-rib, and the lateral lobes of the lip hemi-orbicular with the margin denticulate. Epidendrum scabrum Ruiz & Pav. is vegetatively similar, but the ovary is only slightly inflated and with scarce, low papillae, the petals .346 to .4 x .06 to .08" [8.6 to 10 x 1.5 to 2.0 mm, and the lip with 3 parallel ribs and the lateral lobes dolabriform with the margin erose. Epidendrum fritzianum Hoehne has clearly racemose inflorescences, the flowers green, maculate with purple dots, the sepals dorsally verrugose, the lip with a semi-circular thickening on the disc, and the ovary not inflated and unornamented. Epidendrum pittieri Ames, endemic to Colombia, has yellow flowers, the inflorescence nearly always racemose, and the sepals .48 to .56" [12 to 14 mm] long, and the ovary not inflated and unornamented." Hagsater etal 2021

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1886 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 LCDP Photo/photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1893 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021

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