Epidendrum sophronitis Linden & Rchb.f. (1857) is a small Epidendrum

Epidendrum

Epidendrum , abbreviated Epi in horticultural trade, is a large neotropical genus of the orchid family. With more than 1,100 species, some authors describe it as a mega-genus. The genus name refers to its epiphytic growth habit...

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,...

 that bears a superficial resemblance to a Sophronitis

Sophronitis

Sophronitis, abbreviated Soph in horticultural trade, is a genus of small, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids, growing in the damp montane forest of eastern Brazil, Paraguay and NE Argentina. Currently, 65 species are recognized....

, as the generic epithet was used prior to the year 2000.

Description

Epidendrum sophronitis is a small pendant pseudobulbous epiphyte

Epiphyte

An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...

 that grows in deep shade on the lower part of tree trunks in the montane Tropical rainforest

Tropical rainforest

A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...

 at altitudes of 1.5—3.5 km in Ecuador

Ecuador

Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

 (where the type was collected), and in Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, including Amazonas

Amazonas Region

Amazonas is a department of northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca Department on the west, La Libertad Department on the south, and Loreto Department and San Martín Department on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas....

 and Pasco

Pasco Region

Pasco is a region in central Peru. Its capital is Cerro de Pasco.-Political division:The region is divided into 3 provinces , which are composed of 28 districts .-Provinces:...

. The 1 cm tall ovoid pseudobulbs bear 1—3 elliptic 4–8 cm long fleshy leaves, keeled and bluish-green above, purple below. The 1—1.5 cm racemose

Raceme

A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...

 inflorescence erupts from a sheath at the apex of the pseudobulb and bears up to three relatively large flowers, one at a time. The flowers are overall greenish yellow, with quite variable purple markings. The lanceolate acuminate recurved dorsal sepal is 2—3.5 cm long by 1 cm wide. The lanceolate-triangular acuminate lateral sepals are usually broader but the same length as the dorsal sepal. The lanceolate acuminate petals are smaller than the sepals. The unlobed, acuminate 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 adnate to 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 its apex and 2—3.5 cm long by 1—2.5 cm wide.

External links

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericinsf/3312795419/in/set-72157614494376400/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/39954124@N05/3825172268/
• http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?t=154966
• https://lab.troymeyers.com/flasking/item.php?kind=flask&id=TN4091