Epidendrum cylindrostachys

Epidendrum cylindrostachys
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Laeliinae
Genus: Epidendrum
Subgenus: E. subg. Spathium
Binomial name
Epidendrum cylindrostachys

Epidendrum cylindrostachys is an epiphytic orchid native to the mountainous rainforest of Colombia and Peru, at altitudes near 2.5 km.[1] According to the World Checklist, this binomial has no synonyms or homonyms.[2]

Description

E. cylindrostachys is a reed-stemmed Epidendrum which H. G. Reichenbach placed in the subgenus E. subg. Spathium because the terminal inflorescence erupts through two narrow, ancipitous spathes.[3] The closely spaced slender stems grow little more than 1 dm tall and are covered from the base by thin, imbricating sheaths. The top two or three of these sheaths bear linear-ligulate leaves which are longer than the stem. The inflorescence is a cylindric raceme bearing many small resupinate purple-spotted flowers subtended by very short linear-acute floral bracts. The oblanceolate-oblong dorsal sepal is 5 mm long, the obovate-oblong lateral sepals are slightly longer and noticeably broader. The lanceolate-liner petals are shorter than the sepals.  The trilobate lip is adnate to the column to its apex. The lateral lobes of the lip are shaped like a half-moon. The fleshy central lobe is lanceolate and obtuse to retuse at the apex.

References

  1. ↑ Schweinfurth "Orchids of Peru", Fieldiana: Botany 30(1959)431
  2. ↑ http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
  3. ↑ H. G. Reichenbach "ORCHIDES", nr. 186 in C. Müller, Ed. Walpers. Annales Botanices Systematicae 6(1861)365. Berlin.

Pictures of the flower may be found at:

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