Epidendrum reniconfusum Hágsater, E.Santiago & Dodson 2009 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Renilabium

TYPE Drawing by M Lopez R and The AMO Herbaria Website

LATE

Common Name The Confused E renilabium-Like Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in north central Ecuador on the western slope of the Andes at elevations of 1700 to 3100 meters as a large to giant sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with cane-like, basally terete, laterally compressed above, erect, straight, subapically branching in maturity, the branches shorter than the main stem carrying numerous on the main stem, 7 on the branches, all along the stems, erect-spreading, alternate, articulate, coriaceous, unequal in size, lower ones shorter, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, subobtuse, unequally bilobed, margin entire leaves that blooms in the late spring on a terminal, without a spathe, racemose, frequently producing another raceme that is in bud when the first inflorescence is in full bloom, arching, nutant, peduncle short, laterally compressed, provided with a triangular, subacute bract, densely, successively few, 10 to 70 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, narrowly triangular, acuminate, amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying resupinate, very fleshy, opening from the apex back to the base, eventually all open simultaneously, concolor green, scentless flowers.

"Epidendrum reniconfusum belongs to GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Renilabium which is characterized by the tall plants, monopodial habit, generally large, bilobed leaves, racemose inflorescence, entire or 3-lobed lip with a channel at the base of the disc between the calli. The species is recognized by the 80" [2 meter] tall plants with oblong to oblong-lanceolate leaves 1.2 to 8.8" x .6 to 1.68" [3 to 22 x 1.5 to 4.2 cm], concolor green flowers, lateral sepals .56 to .76" x .32 to .36" [14 to 19 x 8 to 9 mm], petals obovate-spatulate, the apex subacute, lip reniform with two laminar, short, convergent calli and a fleshy, prominent mid keel; the anther truncate, not dentate-fimbriate. It has been consistently confused with Epidendrum renilabium Schltr. which is sympatric in the same range, but has smaller flowers, yellowish green, sepals .52 to .56" [13 to 14 mm] long, widely obovate-spatulate petals with the apex rounded, and the lip with a pair of very long, low, rounded calli which have a canal in between; the anther is apically dentate-fimbriate. Epidendrum renilabioides Hágsater & Dodson has purple tinged brown flowers on the dorsal surface, ventrally greenish white, sepals ,48 to .6" [12 to 15 mm] long and the lip is not emarginate, and has a prominent “Y” shaped callus, comparatively the sides of the “Y” comparatively short. Epidendrum sagasteguii Hágsater & E.Santiago has oblong to narrowly elliptic leaves to 5.2" [13 cm] long, the flowers open from the base of the inflorescence towards the apex, sepals are .44 to .56" [11-14.5 mm] long, petals widely obovate, the margin erose, the lip bicallose with laminar calli which reach the middle of the lip, and a short fleshy keel." Hagsater etal 2015

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1282 Hagsater & Dodson 2009 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1283 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 14 Plate 1482 Hagsater & Sanchez 2013 see recognition section;

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