Epidendrum geniculatum
Encyclopedia
Epidendrum geniculatum Barb. Rodr. (1882) is a deciduous, sympodial
, caespitose orchid
native to the Brazil
ian states of Espirito Santo
and Rio de Janeiro
, at elevations from 300 – 800 m.
published a description of an orchid, under the name of Epidendrum geniculatum for which William Roxburgh
had published a description 70 years earlier, with the name Aerides multiflora. Thus, Epidendrum geniculatum Hook.f
. is a synonym for Aerides multiflora Roxb.
, and a very different taxon
from Epidendrum geniculatum Barb.Rodr., the subject of this article.
erupting from a spathe, range from light yellow to lavender. The sepals are approximately 10 mm long by 3 mm wide, and are both wider and longer than the elliptical lateral petals. The nearly flat single lobe of the lip
is approximately 6 mm long by 7 mm wide and bears a keel in front of the column
, to which the lip is adnate
.
This species is considered to be similar to E. caparaoense and E. hololeucum
Sympodial
Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and in biology is often used to refer to the outward morphology or mode of growth of organisms.-In botany:...
, caespitose orchid
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
native to the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian states of Espirito Santo
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is one of the states of southeastern Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation "ES". Its capital is Vitória and the largest city is Vila Velha. The name of the state means literally "holy spirit" after the Holy Ghost of Christianity...
and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, at elevations from 300 – 800 m.
Synonymy and Confusion
A description of Epidendrum geniculatum was published in 1882 by João Barbosa Rodrigues Eight years later, in 1890, Joseph Dalton HookerJoseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
published a description of an orchid, under the name of Epidendrum geniculatum for which William Roxburgh
William Roxburgh
William Roxburgh was a Scottish surgeon and botanist. He has been called the Father of Indian Botany.-Early life:Roxburgh was born at Underwood in the parish of Craigie, Ayrshire. He studied medicine in Edinburgh...
had published a description 70 years earlier, with the name Aerides multiflora. Thus, Epidendrum geniculatum Hook.f
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
. is a synonym for Aerides multiflora Roxb.
William Roxburgh
William Roxburgh was a Scottish surgeon and botanist. He has been called the Father of Indian Botany.-Early life:Roxburgh was born at Underwood in the parish of Craigie, Ayrshire. He studied medicine in Edinburgh...
, and a very different taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
from Epidendrum geniculatum Barb.Rodr., the subject of this article.
Description
The stems of E. geniculatum are flattened and covered by the bases of the rather thin leaves, which drop before the seed capsule matures. The flowers, born in Winter and early Spring (July–September) on a short pedunclePeduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
erupting from a spathe, range from light yellow to lavender. The sepals are approximately 10 mm long by 3 mm wide, and are both wider and longer than the elliptical lateral petals. The nearly flat single lobe of the lip
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
is approximately 6 mm long by 7 mm wide and bears a keel in front of the column
Column (botany)
The column, or technically the gynostemium, is a reproductive structure that can be found in several plant families: Aristolochiaceae, Orchidaceae, and Stylidiaceae....
, to which the lip is adnate
Adnation
Adnation in plants is the "union of unlike parts; organically united or fused with another dissimilar part, e.g. an ovary to a calyx tube, or stamens to petals". This is in contrast to connation, the fusion of similar organs....
.
This species is considered to be similar to E. caparaoense and E. hololeucum
Epidendrum hololeucum
Epidendrum hololeucum is an epiphytic species of orchid of the genus Epidendrum from Brazil. It is considered to be similar to E. caparaoense and E. geniculatum...
External links
- http://www.orchidstudium.com/Epidendrum/geniculatum/