Epidendrum trachychlaena Schltr. 1917 GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Fritzianum

Drawing by © Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website

Common Name The Created Cloak Epidendrum [probably refers to the rugose leaf sheaths]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Pichincha province of Ecuador at elevations of 1000 to 1500 meters as a small sized, cool growing orchid with branching, cane-like, terete, erect stems carrying 5 to 6, all along the upper 2/3rds of the stem, elliptic, acuminate, margin entire leaves with rugose leaf sheaths that blooms in the fall on a terminal, without a spathe, on a mature stem, occuring only once, paniculate, shortly 1 to 2 branched, bractless peduncle, rachis laterally compressed, naked, 4.8 to 6" [12 to 15 cm] long overall, successively various, 20 to 25 flowered inflorescence with shorter to longer than the ovary, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts and carrying resupinate flowers without color or fragrance data.

"Epidendrum trachychlaena belongs to the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Fritzianum Characterized by the monopodial stems branched above, the ovate to ovate-elliptic, acute to short acuminate leaves, the lateral sepals obliquely united to the base of the column, and clearly three lobed lip. the species is characterized by the branching habit, ovate, acute, membranaceous leaves, paniculate nodding inflorescence and can be recognized by the large leaves, successive flowers (though several open at one time) the 3-lobed, bicallose lip, the somewhat acute lateral lóbes much smaller than the midlobe which is widened towards the apex, rounded and emarginate sepals .64 to .68" [16 to 17 mm] long, and the narrowly obcuneate, 1-veined petals. Epidendrum alexii Hagsater & Dodson is closely related, does not seem to have any vegetative difference, but the midlobe of the lip is linear-spatulate (expanded near the apiculate apex, much longer than wide, the sepals are 3.8 to 4.8" [9.5 to 12 mm] long. It is apparently also closely related to E. scabrum Ruiz & Pavón, at least with the type which shows acute leaves and is clearly a member of the GROUP Andean SUBGROUP Fritzianum. Epidendrum lima Lindl. has been confused with this species, but it has smaller more numerous leaves, a main stem with branching above, and a racemose inflorescence with the lip narrower at the isthmus." Hagsater 2006

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 3 Plate 385 Hagsater 1999 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 8 Plate 894 Hagsater 2006 drawing fide; Icones Orchidacearum 12 Plate 1261 Hagsater 2009 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum 14 Plate 1475 Hagsater & Sanchez 2013 see recognition section;

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