Epidendrum totoroense J.S.Moreno, Hágsater, E.Santiago & Erazo 2016 GROUP Excisum SUBGROUP Friderici-guilielmi
photo/TYPE Plate by © J S Moreno and The AMO Herbaria Website
LATE
EARLY 
Common Name The Totoro Epidendrum [A town in Cauca department of Colombia]
Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]
Found in Cauca department of Colombia in primary cloud forests at elevations around 3250 meters as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte with simple, cane-like, laterally compressed, erect, straight, carrying 2 to 4, sub-erect, alternate, articulate, coriaceous, conduplicate at the base, elliptic, acute, margin entire, slightly revolute leaves that blooms in the late winter and early spring on a terminal, arising through a conduplicate, basal half tubular, upper half open, acute spathe totally enveloping the 2.4" [6 cm] long, ancipitous peduncle with a single, sub-apical, lanceolate, acuminate, clasping bract, rachis 3" [7.5 cm] long, laterally compressed, successively 1 to 2, 7 flowered inflorescence with prominent, nearly as long as the ovary, gradually shorter above, triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, clasping floral bracts and carrying resupinate, fleshy, yellowish brown flowers with the apex of the column, the calli and the disc of the lip all tinged with purple.
"Epidendrum totoroense belongs to the GROUP Excisum SUBGROUP Friderici-guilielmi , recognized by the sympodial habit, tall, unbranched stems, 3 to 5, unequal leaves, the sub-erect inflorescence with a prominent spathe. The species is recognized by the short stems to 3" [7.5 cm] tall carrying 2 to 4 elliptic leaves 1 to 2" x .52 to .8" [2.5 to 5.0 x 1.3 to 2.0 cm], erect inflorescence 5.4" [13.5 cm] long, flowers yellowish brown with the apex of the column and disc tinged purple, sepals .74" [19 mm] long, and the lateral lobes of the lip smaller than the mid-lobe. Epidendrum philippii is vegetatively very similar, but the inflorescence is short, 1.6" [4 cm] long, sepals .4" [10 mm] long, and the lateral lobes of the lip are somewhat larger than the mid-lobe which is emarginate. Florally, the new species is very similar to Epidendrum sisgaënse Hágsater, but this species has stems to 34,8" [87 cm] tall, larger, oblong-elliptic leaves 2.6 to 7.4" x .52 to 1.6" [6.5 to 18.5 x 1.3 to 4.0 cm], flowers are greenish brown, the lip red, and the lateral lobes of the lip about the same size as the mid-lobe, which has a slightly sinuate apex. Epidendrum carlos-uribei Hágsater & E.Santiago has taller stems 6.8 to 11.2" [17 to 28 cm] tall, 3 to 5 elliptic-lanceolate leaves 3 to 3.72" x .6 to .52" [7.5 to 9.3 x 1.5 to 2.3 cm], and arching nutant inflorescence 4.4 to 7.2" [11 to 18 cm] long with up to 10 flowers which are brownish-orange, the lip yellow." Hagsater etal 2016
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 15[2] Plate 1598 Hagsater & Silverstone 2016 photo/drawing fide; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 photo good; Icones Orchidacearum 17(1) Plate 1766 Hagsater & Jimenez 2019 see recognition section;
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