TYPE Drawing by R Jimenez M. and The AMO Herbario Website

Common Name The Passed Over Epidendrum [Refers to speceimens having been seen often but not having been described]

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in Napo province of central Ecuador, on the eastern slope of the Andes in wet forest at 1900 meters as a large sized, cool growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, terete stems carrrying 7 to 14, sub-erect, alternate, distributed throughout the upper half of the stem, sheaths tubular, longitudinally striated; blade lanceolate, acuminate, articulate, smooth, margin entire leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, arising through 1 to 2, tubular, conduplicate, acuminate spathes, peduncle 2.4" [6 cm] long, sub-erect, arched, nearly covered by the spathes 4 to 5.6" [10-14 cm] long overall, apical, racemose, arcuate-nutant simultaneously 17 to 20 flowered inflorescence with slightly shorter than the ovary, linear-triangular, acuminate, embracing floral bracts and carrying resupinate, light yellow flowers with the fragrance not registered.

"Epidendrum praeteritum belongs to the GROUP Alpicolum SUBGROUP Alpicolum, which is recognized by the caespitose habit, simple, canelike stems, apical racemose inflorescence subtended by 1 to 3 acute spathaceous bracts, the flowers fleshy, linear petals and a 3-lobed lip, bicallose with short, fleshy keels, the mid-lobe triangular and fleshy. The new species is recognized by the caespitose habit, numerous narrowly lanceolate leaves to .56 x .36" [14 x 0.9 cm], inflorescence as long as the apical leaves, pale yellow relatively large flowers, lateral sepals .408 to .448" [10.2 to 11.2 mm] long, 5-veined, lip .228 x .104" [5.7 x 2.7 mm]. It is similar to Epidendrum cornutum Lindl., which also has a caespitose habit, wider leaves to 5.4 x .56" [13.5 x 1.4 cm], the inflorescence shorter than the apical leaves, white, very fragrant flowers, lateral sepals .492" [12.3 mm] long, 5 veined, and a longer lip, .292 x .16" [7.3 x 4 mm]. Epidendrum alpicoloscandens Hágsater & Dodson, has a scandent habit, about half as many leaves, the inflorescence much surpassing the apical leaves, smaller, pale yellow-orange flowers, lateral sepals .346" [8.6 mm] long, 3-veined, and lip 4.0 x 2.5 mm." Hagsater etal 2019

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1748 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 Drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 18(1) plate 1809 2020 see reognition section

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