Epidendrum ramosum

Epidendrum ramosum, the mountain star orchid,[1] is a neotropical species of reed-stemmed Epidendrum orchid which grows both epiphytically and terrestrially at altitudes near 1 km.

Epidendrum ramosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Epidendrum
Subgenus: Epidendrum subg. Amphiglottium
Section: Epidendrum sect. Holochila
Species:
E. ramosum
Binomial name
Epidendrum ramosum
Synonyms

Isochilus ramosum Spreng.
Epidendrum rigidum Lodd. nom. illeg.
Epidendrum sellowii Rchb.f.
Isochilus ramosus Focke
Epidendrum ramosum House nom. illeg.
Epidendrum imbricatum var. angustifolium Cogn.
Epidendrum flexicaule Schltr.
Epidendrum modestiflorum Schltr.
Spathiger ramosus (Jacq.) Britt.
Epidendrum zanonii Dod

Description

Epidendrum ramosum stems do not swell into pseudobulbs, are highly branched, and are covered with close, tubular sheathes, the upper ones bearing longish leaves which are rounded at the apex.[2] The short, scaly, apical peduncle bears a raceme with large, alternate floral bracts which nearly cover the long pedicellate ovaries of the few green-yellow flowers.[3] The sepals are oblong-acute, 5–6 mm long and 2 mm wide; the petals are narrower. The cordate acute lip is adnate to the column to its apex, has no lateral lobes, and bears a callus consisting of two keel-like ridges near the column apex. The four pollinia are white.

Homonymy

Five varieties of E. ramosum have been published,[4] three of which are now recognized as separate species:

  • E. ramosum var. imbricatum Ames, F.T.Hubb. & C.Schweinf is a synonym for E. paranaense Barb.Rodr.
  • E. ramosum var. lanceolatum Griseb. is a synonym for E. antillanum Ackerman & Hágsater
  • E. ramosum var. mixtum (Schltr.) Ames, F.T.Hubb & C.Schweinf. is a synonym for E. mixtum Schltr.

References
  1. "Epidendrum ramosum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  2. H. G. Reichenbach "Orchides" item 252, "EPIDENDRUM SELLOWII" in C. Müller, Ed. Walpers Annales Botanices Systematicae 6(1861)383. Berlin.
  3. C. Dodson & R. Vásquez "EPIDENDRUM RAMOSUM Jacq." Plate 0228 of Icones Plantrum Tropicarum, Series II Orchids of Bolivia Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. 1989
  4. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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