Epidendrum sigmostachyum Hágsater, E.Santiago & D.Trujillo 2015 GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The S-Shaped Column Ear of Corn Epidendrum [refers to the strongly S-Shaped column which gives this Macrostachyum group orchid its name]

Flower Size .8" [2 cm] wide

Found in Amazonas department of Peru on the Cordillera de Colan at elevations of 2880 to 3090 meters as a giant sized, cold growing terrestrial with cane-like, terete, erect, straight branches arising from near the apex of the primary stem carrying numerous on the main stem, articulate, alternate, partially spreading, similar in size, green above, glacous beneath, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, margin slightly revolute, denticulate towards the apex leaves that blooms in the late winter on a terminal, without a spathe, occuring only once, peduncle to 1.1" [3 cm] long, subterete, straight, with a basal triangular-lanceolate, acute bract, rachis to 4.4" [11 cm] long, terete, thin, straight, laxly, successively several, to 12 flowered inflorescence with prominent, slightly longer than the ovary, narrowly triangular-ovate, acute amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate, fleshy, peach colored with maroon flowers.

"Epidendrum sigmostachyum Hágsater, E.Santiago & D.Trujillo 2015 GROUP Macrostachyum SUBGROUP Macrostachyum characterized by the erect, branching, cane-like stems giving rise to an erect to arching, many flowered inflorescence without a spathe the very fleshy lip that is folded and embracing the column and a pubescent to papillose nectary in front of the stigmatic cavity. The species is recognized by the oblong-elliptic leaves 3.52 to 4.16" x .8 to 1.2" [8.8 to 10.4 x 2 to 3 cm], peach colored flowers, sepals .54 to .56" [13.5 to 14 mm] long, linear-oblong petals .48 x .8" [12 x 2 m], the triangular lip with the base truncate, and the column strongly arched at the base, and the apex turned abruptly upwards, thus “S” shaped. Epidendrum dermatanthum Kraenzl. has linear-oblong to lanceolate leaves 3.4 to 7.2" x .68 to 1.6" [8.5 to 18 x 1.7 to 4 cm](on the main stem), flowers reddish brown, sepals .6 to .72" [15 to 18 mm] long, petals linear-lanceolate, .48 to .56" x .1 to .12" [12 to 14 x 2.5 to 3 mm], lip cordiform and column straight. Epidendrum bangii Rolfe has lanceolate leaves 2 to 5.6" x .6 to .97" [5 to 14 x 1.5 to 2.4 cm], flowers purple-green to greenish brown, distributed along a generally flexuous rachis, sepals .56 to .72" [14 to 18 mm] long, lip cordiform and straight column. Epidendrum rostrigerum Rchb.f. is vegetatively very similar, but the flowers are green tinged with reddish purple and the lip yellowish, sepals .36 to .4" [9 to 10 mm] long, petals linear-oblong, .32 to .4" x .4 to .6" [8 to 10 x 1.0 to 1.5 mm], lip lunate, nearly semi-orbicular, apex of the anther rostrate, surpassing the column." Hagsater etal 2015

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 15[1] plate 1560 Hagsater 2015 Drawing fide;

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