Epidendrum subliberhombicum Hágsater & E.Santiago 2010 GROUP Albomarginatum

TYPE Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbario Website

Common Name The Free Lip, Diamond-Shaped Petal Epidendrum [Refering to the differences between this species and E subliberum]

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in northern Peru on the upper Amazon slope of the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes at elevations of 3400 to 3600 meters as a medium sized, cold, scandent growing terrestrial with thin, enveloped by 5 tubular, non-foliar sheaths, basal half cane-like, apical half somewhat thickened without being fusiform stems carrying 3 to 4, aggregate at the apex, articulate, coriaceous, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, minutely apiculate leaves that blooms in the winter on a terminal, arching, peduncle elongate, terete, thin, 1.8" [4.5 cm] long, provided with 4, small, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, amplexicaul bracts, rachis straight, simultaneously about 100 flowered inflorescence with more than half as long as the ovary, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, amplexicaul floral bracts and carrying resupinate, brown to pink colored flowers.

"Epidendrum subliberhombicum belongs to the GROUP Albomarginatum which is characterized by the monopodial, vertical, scandent, zigzag habit, stems cane-like below, somewhat thickened along the apical middle-half or third to form a fusiform pseudobulb, the new stem originating just below the thickened part of the previous stem, apically bifoliate; leaves linear-lanceolate to linear-oblong. The species is recognized by the large leaves 5.6 to 8.8"x .24 to .4" [14 to 22 x 0.6 to 1.0 cm], sepals .14 to .28" [3.5 to 5.2 mm] long, petals ovate-rhombic, the margin entire, .14 to .188" x .96 to 1" [3.5 to 4.7 x 2.4 to 2.5 mm], 3-veined, the lip with the base truncate and the mid-lobe widely triangular. It is very similar to Epidendrum subliberum C.Schweinf. which has smaller flowers with sepals .128 to .152" [3.2 to 3.8 mm] long, petals lanceolate, narrow, with the margin dentate, .128 to .14" x .44 to .52" [3.2 to 3.5 x 1.1 to 1.3 mm], 1-veined, and the lip with the base sub-cordate, and the mid-lobe rounded; the range of distribution overlaps. Epidendrum albomarginatum Rchb.f. has shorter, narrower leaves 1.2 to 3.6" x .06 to .16" [3 to 9 x 0.15 to 0.4 cm], a sometimes paniculate inflorescence, sepals .24 to .32" [6 to 8 mm] long, petals oblanceolate, rachis fractiflex and the lip united throughout the length of the column. Epidendrum francisci Chocce, Hágsater & Acuña has a paniculate inflorescence, the rachis slightly fractiflex, successive flowers, sepals .32" [8 mm] long, and the lip entire and united throughout the length of the column." Hagsater etal 2010

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidaeacrum 13 Plate 1391 Hagsater & Santiago 2010 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 13 Plate 1392 Hagsater & Santiago 2010 See recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1624 Hagsater / Santiago 2018 See recognition section;

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