Epidendrum pessoae Hágsater & L.Sánchez 2013 GROUP Difforme

TYPE Drawing by © R Jimenez M and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name Pessoa’s Epidendrum [Brazilian PHD Botanist Currently reviewing Campylocentrum current]

Flower Size 1” [2.5 cm]

Found in northeastern Brazil in the state of Alagoas in the Mata Atlantica at elevations around 522 meters as a mini-miniature sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, basally terete, somewhat laterally compressed above, slightly flexuous above stems carrying 2 to 4 all along the stem, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, apex retuse to asymmetrically bilobed, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, without a spathe, subcorymbose, sessile, simultaneously 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence carrying resupinate, greenish, sweeetly fragrant flowers.

"Epidendrum pessoae belongs to the GROUP Difforme which is characterized by the caespitose, sympodial plants, fleshy light green to glaucous leaves, apical inflorescence without the spathaceous bract, sessile, rarely with a short peduncle, single flowered to corymbose, fleshy, and flowers green to yellowish-green, rarely white. The species is recognized by the short stems, .32 to .34" [8 to 9 cm] tall, somewhat laterally compressed above, generally with 3 to 4 narrowly elliptic-lanceolate leaves, 1-2 simultaneous flowers, sepals .68 to .72" [17 to 18 mm] long, the small mid-lobe of the lip transversely trapezoid when spread, slightly emarginate, sinus short apiculate, the column arched. It is similar to Epidendrum latilabre, which ranges widely along coastal Brazil from Pará to Santa Catarina, but has taller, more vigorous plants, stems 4 to 12.8" [10 to 32 cm] tall, with 4 to 9, wider leaves .6 to 1.4" [1.5 to 3.5 cm] wide, generally 2 to 4 flowers, sepals .72 to 1.32" [1.8 to 3.3 cm] long, the mid-lobe emarginate to bilobed. Epidendrum amapense Hágsater & L.Sánchez, ranging in Amapá and Pará states of Brazil, Guyana, Surinam and the French Guyana, has 4.8 to 6.8" [12 to 17 cm] tall stems laterally compressed, with 4 to 6 leaves, sepals .56 to .68" [14 to 17 mm] long, lateral lobes of the lip semi-ovate, obtuse, minutely erose, mid-lobe transversely rectangular. Epidendrum anatipedium L.Sánchez & Hágsater, known only from the state of Ceará, Brazil, has stems 4.8 to 6" [12-15 cm] tall, wide, ovate-elliptic leaves .32 to .96" [0.8 to 2.4 cm] wide, 3 large flowers, sepals .14" [35 mm] long, linear-elliptic, ovary 1.56 to 1.84" [3.9 to 4.6 cm] long, the lip obtrapezoid, 3-lobed, the 3 lobes triangular. Epidendrum althausenii A.D.Hawkes, is widespread in the Amazon basin, stems are 2.8 to 7.2" [7 to 18 cm tall, sepals .92 to 1.68" [2.3 to 4.2 cm] long, the lip sub-quadrate when spread, 3-lobed, mid-lobe shorter than the lateral lobes, emarginate, forming 2 small, rounded lobes." Hagsater 201

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 14 Plate 1473 Hagsater & Santiago 2013 drawing fide;

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