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

External links

Pictures of the flower may be found at

• The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia
• http://www.ecology.org/ecophoto/orchids/Epidendrum.html