Epidendrum rhopalostele Hágsater & Dodson 2001 GROUP Alpicolum SUBGROUP Dialychilum

Photo by © Ivan Jimenez, Jorge Quezada & Juan Carlos Bermejo and the Orquideas de Cotapata Website

TYPE Drawing of Epidendrum dialychilum subsp. peruvianum

Drawing by © Bennett & Christenson and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Drawing

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez, Hágsater & E.Santiago and The AMO Herbario Website

Common Name The Club Shaped Column Epidendrum

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations of 1250 to 1650 meters as a medium sized, cool growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, flexuous, laterally compressed stems carrying 6, distributed along the apical 2/3's of the stem, laterally compressed, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, unequal, progressively longer leaves that blooms in the fall through winter on a terminal, erect to arching, racemose, successively 12 to 20 flowered inflorescence arising through 1 to 2, acute, narrow, ancipitose spathaceous bracts with shorter to somewhat longer than the ovary, linear-lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts.

"Epidendrum rhopalostele belongs to the GROUP Alpicolum SUBGROUP Dialychilum and is closely related to E. dialychilum, both having the lip free from the column, and distinguished by the linear-lanceolate, acuminate lip, the petals long-filiform acuminate, and the stigmatic cavity occupies only the apical third of the column which is wider near the apex and not apically winged. Epidendrum dialychilum has larger flowers, acute lip and petals, and the stigmatic cavity occupying nearly the whole column ventrally; the column is wider towards the middle, and not apically winged. Epidendrum pterostele Hágsater & Dodson also has a free lip, but the lateral sepals are .56 to .6" [14 to 15 mm] long, and the column has a prominent clinandrium which produces a winged aspect towards the apex." Hagsater 2001

Synonyms Epidendrum dialychilum subsp. peruvianum D.E.Benn. & Christenson 1998

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 475 Hagsater 2001 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 636 Bennett & Christenson 2001 as E dialychilum subsps peruviarum drawing fide, * Icones Orchidacearum 4 Plate 481 Hagsater 2001 drawing fide;

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