Family Orchidaceae Tribe Epidendreae | Rank Species | |
Epidendrum polystachyum is an epiphytic orchid, which grows wild in seasonally dry forests on the western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru (including Piura) at altitudes near 2 km.
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Description
Epidendrum polystachyum has a sympodial habit, producing fusiform pseudobulbs, each with several oblong obtuse conduplicate leaves. The terminal inflorescence is a many-branched panicle with few flowers on each branch (Reichenbach 1861 says "scapo polystachyo"). The sepals, petals, and lip are peach colored: the dorsal sepal oblong to lanceolate, acuminate and reflexed; the lateral sepals oblique and reflexed; the petals lanceolate-spatulate. The trilobate lip is adnate to the column to its apex: the lateral lobes irregularly obovate with erose to crenulate margins; the medial lobe smaller, deeply emarginate, divided in two at the apex, with a raised oblong yellow-green callus.
Homonym
Epidendrum polystachyum Pav. ex Lindl. (1831) is a synonym for Epidendrum polyanthum Lindl. (1831).