Epidendrum viridibrunneum Rchb. f. 1862 GROUP Porpax

Photo by © Eric Hunt

Common Name The Green & Light Brown Epidendrum

Flower Size .8" [2 cm]

Found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of 1100 to 1600 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with a branching rhizome giving rise to short stems carrying distichous, fleshy, widely lanceolate to narrowly ovate-lanceolate, acute leaves that are articulate to the leaf sheaths below that blooms in the fall on a terminal, short, single flowered inflorescence arising through a conduplicate, acute to apiculate spathe and with the large flower held just above the apex of the stem.

"Epidendrum viridibrunneum Rchb.f. belongs to the GROUP Porpax, which is characterized by the small, creeping plants with succulent leaves, single flowers from a small spathaceous bract, mostly green with a usually shiny wine-red lip. The species is recognized by the has linear, free petals, with the lip elliptic, the base somewhat cuneate, and the elongate calli. Epidendrum maxthompsonianum has an oblique column, the oblong, relatively wide petals, forming a cucullate hood with the dorsal sepals over the column, in natural position, the lip is orbicular. Epidendrum gnomus Schltr. has narrowly triangular, nearly linear petals, outstretched in natural position, and the lip is ovate, somewhat cordate at the base. Epidendrum mathewsii, which also grows in the region has larger plants but similar sized flowers, with the lip reniform, convex, 3-keeled with entire margins, and the nectary is elongate and does not form a globose vesicle on the underside of the ovary." Adapted from E maxthompsonianum Icones 11 Plate 1140 Hagsater etal 2008

Synonyms Epidendrum centropetalum Rchb.f. 1855; Neolehmannia viridibrunnea (Rchb.f.) Garay & Dunst. 1976

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 7: 252 Schlechter 1920; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 3 Dunsterville & Garay 1965 drawing fide; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 3 1970 drawing ok; Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 9 513 - 576 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1977 as Nanodes viridibrunneum; Orchids of Venezuela, An Illustrated Field Guide Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1979 as Neolehmannia viridibrunnea drawing fide; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 1 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 drawing fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Lieferung 42/3 2001 as Neolehmannia viridibrunnea; Orchids of Bolivia Vol II Laelinae Vasquez & Ibisch 2004; Icones Orchidacearum 11 Plate 1128 Hagsater 2008 see recognition section; Icones Orchidacearum Vol 11 Plate 1140 Hagsater & Sanchez 2008 see recognition section; Miniature Orchids, A Compendium Parsons and Gerritson 2013 photo fide; Orquideas, Tesoro de Colombia Vol 2 Ortiz & Uribe 2017 drawing good;

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