Epidendrum sarcostalix Rchb.f. & Warsz. 1854 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Cernuum

TYPE Photo by E. Becerra and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Fleshy Column Epidendrum

Flower Size 1.2” [3 cm]

Found in Peru without locational data and only from the type as a small sized, cold growing terrestrial with cane-like, branching subapically, erect, straight stems carrying 9 or more, distichous, erect-spreading, subcoriaceous, oblong to ovate-elliptic, obtuse, minutely apiculate, spreading to slightly revolute, about half as wide as long, margin entire leaves that blooms on a terminal, racemose, arching-nutant, peduncle short, thin, straight, naked, laxly, simultaneously to 12 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying resupinate, fleshy flowers without color and fragrance data.

"Epidendrum sarcostalix belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Cernuum, characterized by the monopodial habit, cane-like stems with subapical branches which are considerably shorter than the main stem, coriaceous to sub-coriaceous leaves, and fleshy flowers, the lip entire or 3-lobed. The species is recognized by the ovate-elliptic leaves 1.4" to 2.2" x .8 to 1! [3.5 to 5 x 2 to 2.5 cm], large flowers, sepals .6 to .68" [15 to 17 mm] long, convex, widely ovate-cordiform lip with minute calli. Epidendrum sumapacense Hágsater & E. Santiago is vegetatively very similar, but the lip is sub-reniform, with small lobes, very prominent calli and 3, low keels on the disc. Epidendrum orgyale Lindl. has oblong leaves 1.12" to 2" x .4 to .48" [2.8 to 5 x 1-1.2 cm], non-resupinate flowers with a elongate ovary, sepals .48 to .56" [12 to 14 mm] long, and the lip widely cordiform and the margin serrulate." Hagsater etal 2009

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Peru Vol 2 Schweinfurth 1959; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1289 Hagsater & Santiago 2009 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1} Plate 1658 Hagsater & Sanchez 2018 See Recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 18(2) Plate 1867 Hagsater & Jimenez 2021 see recognition section

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