Epidendrum ruizianum

Epidendrum ruizianum is an epiphytic reed-stemmed Epidendrum of the orchid family native to the cloud forests of Bolivia (including Cochabamba and La Paz[1]), Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, at altitudes of 2–3 km.

Epidendrum ruizianum
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 ruizianum
Synonyms

Epidendrum nutans Ruiz & Pav. nom. illeg.
Epidendrum spathaceum Lindl.

Description

Epidendrum ruizianum belongs to the subgenus E. subg. Spathium Lindl., and as such is a sympodial plant with cylindrical, unswollen stems covered with close, imbricating sheathes which bear leaves on the upper part of the stem, and with the apical inflorescence erupting from an enlarged spathe. The stems grow to 90 cm tall. The keeled, leathery leaves grow to 16 cm long and 4 cm wide. The paniculate inflorescence grows as long as 50 cm, with the alternate, dense racemes emerging from falcate spathes[2] 5 cm long. The yellow-green flowers have reflexed rigid striate acute sepals and reflexed filiform petals 10 mm long. The trilobate lip is adnate to the column to its apex, and is heart shaped and convex where it diverges from the column. The lateral lobes of the lip are fringed, and the medial lobe divides in two at its apex.

Synonymy and homonymy

The synonym E. nutans Ruiz & Pav. (1798) is an illegitimate name because it is a homonym of E. nutans Sw. (1788), which is the accepted name of a different species.

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References
  1. C. Dodson & R. Vsquez "EPIDENDRUM RUIZIANUM Steud." Plate 0230 in C. Dodson, Ed. Icones Plantarum Tropicarum, SeriesII Orchids of Bolivia Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. 1989.
  2. as E. spathaceum, nr. 13 in Lindley "Notes upon the genus EPIDENDRUM", item VII in Hooker, Journal of Botany III(85) London. 1841.

Some pictures of the flowers and inflorescence may be found at The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia


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