Epidendrum viviparum Lindley 1841

Flower closeup

Plant form with keiki growth habit [arrow] and inflorescence. Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

and

Common Name or Meaning The Snake-Like Epidendrum [refers to the growth habit of the plant]

Flower Size 2 5/8" [6.5 cm]

Found in Ecuador at elevations around 450 meters as a medium sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte that has the strange habit of putting out keikis on top of keikis [see plant photo] and is not uncommon to have three or four sets of plants growing on one inflorescence one stacked above the other. Thsi species has cylindric psuedobulbs and is the major difference between this species and E. purpurescens. It blooms in the spring with a few successively opening flowers with 3 to 5 open at a time on a terminal, to 12" [30 cm] long, few to several flowered inflorescence.. flowers per inflorescence