Epidendrum reflexipetalum Hagsater, H Medina & Cisneros 2021 GROUP Arbuscula SUBGROUP Incomptum

LCDP Photo by H Medina and Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1891 Hagsater & J Duarte 2021

LATE

Common Name The Reflexed Petal Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.6" [4 cm]

Found in Napo provimce of Ecuador at elevations of 1800 to 2475 meters as asmall sized, cool to cold growing, sympodial epiphyte with simple, cane-like, terete, slightly arcuate, the new stem originating from a middle internode of the previous stem, gradually becoming thicker and longer stem covered by tubular, acute, scarious when dry, non-foliar sheaths and carrying 3, aggregate towards the apex, alternate, articulate, slightly recurved, with a minutely striated, tubular leaf base sheath, unequal in size, oblong, acute, margin entire, spreading leaves that blooms in the late spring on a terminal, without a spathe, flowering only once, peduncle 1.4" [3.5 cm] long, thin, somewhat laterally compressed, rachis 4.36" [10.9 cm] long, somewhat thick, laterally compressed, 6.12" [15.3 cm] long, arising on a mature stem, racemose, arching, simultaneously to 12 flowered inflorescence with about half as long as the ovary, the apical bracts decreasing in length, triangular, acuminate floral bracts and carrying resupinate flowers without fragrance data.

"Epidendrum reflexitepalum belongs to the GROUP Arbuscula SUBGROUP Incomptum which is characterized by the successive lateral growths produced from the middle of the previous growth, the few leaves aggregate towards the apex of the stems, the short apical, arching, nutant inflorescence with fleshy greenish to violet-green flowers with short ovaries, and the lip entire to 3-lobed. The new species is recognized by the bright green flowers, the long ovary .96" [24 mm] long, the sepals and petals strongly reflexed, the oblong-lanceolate petals, the deeply 3-lobed lip, wider than longer, .72" x 1.04" [18 x 26 mm], the lateral lobes sub-orbicular, and the sub-rectangular, strongly emarginate midlobe, and the long column, .624" [15.6 mm] long. Epidendrum macuchiense Hágsater & E.Santiago has green to brown flowers, a shorter ovary, about .52 to .56" [13 to 14 mm] long, sepals and petals partly spreading, the lateral sepals united obliquely to the column and the petals linearoblanceolate, shorter, .432 to .5" [10.8 to 12.5 mm] long, a smaller, 3-lobed lip, .346 to .4" x .66 to .724" [8.6 to 10 x 16.1 to 17.6 mm], the lateral lobes broadly transverse-elliptic to sub-orbicular, and the disc with a just one low, wide mid-keel. Epidendrum homoion Hágsater & Dodson has a very similar shaped lip, similar in size .56 to .64" x 1.04 to 1.12" [14 to 16 x 26 to 28 mm], but has obtrullate petals which are much wider, .34 x .24 to .26" [8.5 x 6.0 to 6.5 mm], the sepals and petals are green and the lip olive-green to purplish green. Epidendrum oenochromum Hágsater & Dodson has burgundy-red colored flowers, the lip is proportionately wider than long and smaller, .4 x .56" [10 x 16 mm], the lateral lobes are orbicular, and the petals are oblong, wider .468 x .088" [11.7 x 2.2 mm]." Hagsater etal 2021

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1891 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 LCDP Photo/photo fide;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------