Epidendrum tetracuniculatum Hágsater, Edquén, E.Santiago & Náquira 2018 GROUP Aristisepalum
LCDP Photo by © J. D. Edquén/TYPE Photo J. D. Edquén and Icones Orchidacearum 16(2) Plate 1699 Hagsater & Jimenez 2018 AMO Herbaria Website
Common Name The 4 Short Cuniculi Tambillo Epidendrum [reference to the short galleries or cuniculi at each side of the base of the lateral ribs of the lip]
Flower Size 2.4" [6 cm]
Found in Amazonas department of Peru, from the ridge along the eastern side of the Marañón river, near its northern end, near the Cerro de Campanario, epiphytic on Polylepis sp., in relict high Andean forests dominated by Queñas or Queñuales (Polylepis spp.) surrounded by extensive Pajonal, at elevations around 3450 meters as a giant sized, cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, terete at base, somewhat laterally compressed towards the apex, erect to arching, straight stems with the base covered by nonfoliar, tubular, becoming scarious and fibrous with time sheaths and carrying 14 to 25, distributed throughout the stem; suberect, alternate, articulate, coriaceous, similar in size and shape; leaf sheath tubular, minutely striated greenish yellow with minute red warts; blade lanceolate, apex rounded, green, concolor, margin entire, slightly revolute leaveas that blooms in the summer on a terminal, without a spathe, peduncle .6" [1.5 cm] long, somewhat laterally compressed green, concolor, without bracts; rachis straight, totally hidden by the flowers, 3.6" [9 cm] long, apical, racemose, arching-nutant, distichous, sub-densely, simultaneously 7 flowered inflorescence with nearly as long as the ovary, triangular, acuminate, embracing floral bracts and carrying resupinate, very fleshy green flowers with the petals and lip yellow; fragrance not registered.
"Epidendrum tetracuniculatum appears to be somewhat close to the GROUP Aristisepalum which has a caespitose habit, simple stems, sub-coriaceous leaves, an arching-nutant, racemose inflorescence without spathes, a thickened disc on the 3-lobed lip, and especially lateral sepals which are apically prominently aristate-complanate, .6 to 1.48" [15 to 37 mm long]. The species is recognized by the overall larger plants and flowers, wide leaves, 3.6 to 8" x .8 to .96" [9 to 20 x 2.0 to 2.4 cm], sepals 1.12 to 1.48" [28 to 37 mm] long, flowers green with petals, column and 3-lobed lip yellow, lateral lobes hemi-elliptic, mid-lobe sub-quadrate when spread. Epidendrum incahuamanii Collantes & Hágsater has linearlanceolate leaves 1 to 6" x .12 to .36" [2.5 to 15 x 0.3 to 0.9 cm], the lip deeply 3-lobed, lateral lobes dolabriform-sub-elliptic, oblique, the disc thickened into a semi-circular plate, traversed by a prominent mid-rib extending to the apex of the mid-lobe which is 1 x .24" [2.5 x 6 mm], semi-circular, apex usually retuse. Epidendrum birostratum has wider leaves, 2.6 to 5.2" x .52 to .6" [6.5 to 13 x 1.3 to 1.5 cm], the lip with dolabriform-rounded lateral lobes, mid-lobe as long as the lateral lobes, cuneate, sub-quadrate, the apex sinuous-truncate, 3-dentate; disc with the thickened plate sub-quadrate-ovate. Epidendrum aristisepalum Hágsater & Dodson from southern Ecuador has similar leaves 2.4 to 5.8" x .28 to .44" [6 to 14.5 x 0.7 to 1.1 cm], but the ecallose lip has a sub-orbicular mid-lobe with the disc thickened into 3 prominent longitudinal ribs. Epidendrum jalcaënse Chocce, Dalström, Hágsater & J.Arnaiz has wider, shorter leaves, 1.88 to 2.64" x .4 to .6" [4.7 to 6.6 x 1.0 to 1.5 cm] , bright orange flowers with a wide, 4-lobed, ecallose lip, with 5 thickened ribs on the disc." Hagsater etal 2018
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 16(2) Plate 1699 Hagsater & Jimenez 2018 drawing/photo fide
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