Epidendrum spruceanum
Encyclopedia
Epidendrum spruceanum is an epiphytic
reed-stemmed Epidendrum
orchid
native to the Tropical rainforest
of Peru
, Bolivia
(including Santa Cruz
and Cochabamba
, where it has been found at an altitude of 0.3 km), and Brazil
.
Jacq. (1760); although accepted as a separate species, for example, by Kew and by Dodson & Vásquez 1989, it is recognized as a synonym for E. nocturnumJacq. (1760) by others, for example IOSPE and Reichenbach 1862 As with other members of E. subg. Epidendrum
, E. spruceanum has slender stems covered by close sheathes, leaf-bearing above, and an apical inflorescence with a peduncle
which is not covered at its base by any sheath other than the base of the last leaf. In the case of E. spruceanum, the stems are rather flattened and can grow to 1 m tall, the oblong-obtuse leathery leaves grow to 12 cm long, "as large as in the largest state of E. nocturnum" according to Spruce, as reported in Reichenbach, 1861. The inflorescence is short, completely covered by the basal sheath of the apical leaf, and produces one open flower at a time. The white to greenish white flowers measure 15 cm across with an ovary 20 cm long and a nectary 15 cm long. The petals and sepals are linear-acuminate. The trilobate lip
is adnate to the column
to its apex, with semirhombate lateral lobes and a slender central lobe with a short keel near the lip.
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...
reed-stemmed 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,...
native to the 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...
of 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....
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
(including Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Department
Santa Cruz, with an area of 370,621 km², is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia. In the 2001 census, it reported a population of 2,029,471. The capital is the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The state is one of the wealthiest states in Bolivia with huge reserves of...
and Cochabamba
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
, where it has been found at an altitude of 0.3 km), and 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...
.
Description
Epidendrum spruceanum Lindl. (1853) is closely allied to E. nocturnumEpidendrum nocturnum
Epidendrum nocturnum is the type species of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae .The species occurs in Florida, Bahamas, West Indies, Central America to northern Brazil and the Guyanas...
Jacq. (1760); although accepted as a separate species, for example, by Kew and by Dodson & Vásquez 1989, it is recognized as a synonym for E. nocturnumJacq. (1760) by others, for example IOSPE and Reichenbach 1862 As with other members of E. subg. Epidendrum
Epidendrum subg. Epidendrum
The subgenus Epidendrum subg. Epidendrum was published as "Euepidendrum" in 1841 with the diagnosis "Caulis foliosus. Pedunculus brevis esquamatus...
, E. spruceanum has slender stems covered by close sheathes, leaf-bearing above, and an apical inflorescence with a peduncle
Peduncle (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...
which is not covered at its base by any sheath other than the base of the last leaf. In the case of E. spruceanum, the stems are rather flattened and can grow to 1 m tall, the oblong-obtuse leathery leaves grow to 12 cm long, "as large as in the largest state of E. nocturnum" according to Spruce, as reported in Reichenbach, 1861. The inflorescence is short, completely covered by the basal sheath of the apical leaf, and produces one open flower at a time. The white to greenish white flowers measure 15 cm across with an ovary 20 cm long and a nectary 15 cm long. The petals and sepals are linear-acuminate. The trilobate 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, with semirhombate lateral lobes and a slender central lobe with a short keel near the lip.