Epidendrum scopulorum Rchb.f. 1878 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Soratae

Photo by © Roberto Vasquez

Drawing

Drawing by © Jimenez © and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Rocky Epidendrum

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm] wide

Found in Bolivia near La Paz at elevations around 3200 meters as a small sized, cold growing lithophyte with erect, subapically branching, cane-like, terete, slightly flexuous, branches much shorter than the main stem carrying 9 to 12 on the main stem, 3 to 4 on the branches, all along the apical half, articulate, alternate, adpressed on young stems, coriaceous, violet-purple, lanceolate, sub-acute apically, margin crenulate leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, erect, peduncle very short, terete, naked, .4 to .6" [ 1.0 to 1.5 cm] long overall, lax, successively single to 4 flowered inflorescence with half as long as the ovary, narrowly triangular, acute, conduplicate, amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying resupinate, violet-purple flowers.

"Epidendrum scopulorum belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Soratae characterized by the branching habit, the new stems generally arising from the apex of the previous stem, thus appearing as long stems with lateral inflorescences, acute to acuminate leaves and infundibuliform sheaths. The species is recognized by the small plants, to 8" [20 cm] tall, sub-erect branching and adpressed leaves, violet-purple flowers, sepals .36" [9 mm], the lip cordiform with an obtuse apex. Epidendrum cartilaginiflorum Rchb.f. is vegetatively very similar, but the flowers are ochre colored, sepals .64" [16 mm] long, and the cordiform lip is apically rounded. Epidendrum soratae Rchb.f. has greenish yellow flowers, sepals.24 to .28" [6 to 7 mm] long, and lip slightly 3-lobed, the midlobe small and emarginate. Epidendrum cardenasii Hágsater has longer leaves, 1.44 to 2" [3.6 to 5 cm] long, sepals .48 to .52" [12 to 13 mm] long, the lip reniform with a emarginate lip widely mucronate. Epidendrum bolivianum Schltr. has taller plants, to 16" [40 cm] tall, purple-brown flowers, sepals .52" [13 mm] long, and a 3-lobed lip." Hagsater etal 2009

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 10: 71 Bolivia Schlechter 1922; Orchids of Bolivia Vol II Laelinae Vasquez & Ibisdch 2004 photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 712 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 791 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 7 Plate 792 Hagsater and Sanchez 2004 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 9 Plate 933 Hagsater 2007 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1216 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1248 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1291 Hagsater & Santiago 2009 drawing fide;

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