Epidendrum olorteguii Damian , Hagsater & Mitidieri, Phytotaxa 552(1): 100. 2022.

Arista, Jessy Patricia, Hagsater, Eric, Santiago, Elizabeth, Edquen, Jose D., Pariente, Eli, Oliva, Manuel & Salazar, Gerardo A., 2023, New and noteworthy species of the genus Epidendrum (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) from the Area de Conservacion Privada La Pampa del Burro, Amazonas, Peru, PhytoKeys 227, pp. 43-87 : 43

Epidendrum olorteguii Damian, Hagsater & Mitidieri, Phytotaxa 552(1): 100. 2022.

Fig. 11

Type material.

Peru. Amazonas: Prov. Bongará: Distr. Yambrasbamba: Centro Poblado El Progreso, 2200-2300 m, Nov. 2020, S. Olortegui & A. Damián 5050 (holotype: USM!; isotype: UFV!).

Description.

Epiphytic, sympodial, scandent, erect herb, up to 120-140 cm tall, new stems produced from middle of previous stem. Roots 5-6 mm in diameter, thick, scarce, from base of primary stems. Stems 14-45 × 0.9-1.3 cm, simple, cane-like, terete, new stem produced from sub-apical internode of previous stem, lower part covered by 3-5 tubular, imbricate, chartaceous, gray non-foliar sheaths. Leaves 2-5 aggregate toward apex apical half of stem, distichous, articulate, spreading, base embracing; sheaths 1.4-3.5 × 0.9-1.3 cm, tubular, infundibuliform in dry specimens; blade 6.0-14.5 × 2.2-6.0 cm, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate in mature specimens, acute, thin, margin entire. Spathe lacking. Inflorescence 16-20 cm long, apical, racemose, arching nutant, few-flowered; peduncle 3-5 cm long, laterally compressed, slightly ancipitose, rachis 12-15 cm long, sub-terete. Floral bracts 1.0-2.3 × 0.6-0.8 cm, slightly shorter than ovary, progressively shorter toward apex of rachis, triangular, acuminate, margins microscopically denticulate. Flowers 4-13, flowers successive, 2-5 open at a time, resupinate, green to yellow or rarely ivory white ( Léon Martínez s.n.), column darker green or dirty white, tinged purple toward apex, lip when green pale toward disc and calli; fragrance not detected. Sepals spreading, fleshy, slightly convex, free, 5-veined, margins entire, spreading; dorsal sepal 30-38 × 9-12 mm, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acute, basal margins revolute, slightly carinate dorsally; lateral sepals 32-40 × 8-13 mm, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, oblique, acuminate, with a prominent dorsal keel. Petals 27-35 × 5-7 mm, strongly reflexed, parallel to ovary, fleshy, narrowly oblanceolate, acuminate, 3-veined, margins entire, spreading. Lip 22-32 × 28-30 mm, fleshy, trilobed, fused to column, base obliquely cordate; bicallose, calli divergent, elongate, rounded, disc 3-ribbed, lateral ribs in front of calli inconspicuous, low, parallel, with a low, wide mid-rib reaching apex of labellum; lateral lobes 10-15 × 10-14 mm, prominent, convex, transversely sub-rectangular, basal corners narrowly rounded to obtuse, distal corner widely rounded, multi-veined, margins entire, slightly revolute; mid-lobe 8-13 × 20-22 mm, curved in natural position, flabellate with two obliquely triangular lobes and a narrow, cuneate isthmus in basal half, apical half truncate, with a short, thickened, narrowly triangular, reflexed, apiculus at apex, lobes divergent, obliquely triangular, obtuse, slightly revolute at apex, margins entire. Column 14-16 mm long, short, thick, straight, slightly widening apically, constricted near base. Clinandrium hood very short, margin entire. Anther ovoid, glandular-papillose, 4-celled. Pollinia 4, dark yellow, obovate, laterally compressed, subequal, caudicles granulose, as long as pollinia. Rostellum apical, slit; viscarium semi-liquid, translucent. Lateral lobes of stigma small, 1/5 length of stigmatic cavity. Cuniculus deep, penetrating two thirds of ovary, widened behind perianth, unornamented. Ovary 16-28 mm long, slightly arching, terete, furrowed, ventrally thickened apical third. Capsule ellipsoid, 6.3 cm long, pedicel 3 mm long, body 4 × 3 cm, apical neck 2 cm long.

Additional specimens examined.

Peru. Amazonas; Prov. Bongará, Distr. Yambrasbamba, centro poblado El Progreso, 2300 m, Nov. 2017, Olórtegui s.n. (USM!); Distr. Buenos Aires, centro poblado Santa Rosa , 2079 m, 15 Jul. 2022, Arista et al. 271 (KUELAP!) .

Other records.

Peru. Amazonas: Prov. Bongará: Distr. Yambrasbamba: El Progreso, Vivero "Mi Angelito," colectada en el área de Nicolasa Velásquez, white form, Martínez s.n., digital image (AMO!); km 5.5, camino a la Perla del Imaza, 2083 m, 15 Jul. 2022, Hágsater 16418, digital images (AMO!); La Esperanza, hort. vivero alto, Orquídeas Amazónicas, 16 Jul. 2022, Hágsater 16490, digital images (AMO!); San Martín: Prov. Rioja, Distr. Pardo Miguel Naranjos, Chisquilla, 2100 m, 22 June 2019, Edquén 2092, digital images (AMO!).

Distribution.

Epidendrum olorteguii is presently known from two localities 50 km distant from each other, on the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern Peru, at 2100-2300 m.

Habitat and ecology.

Epiphytic in humid montane forests.

Phenology.

Flowering from July through November.

Taxonomic notes.

Epidendrum olorteguii belongs to the Incomptum Group which is characterized by having erect successive lateral growths produced from the middle of the previous growth, few leaves aggregated toward the apex of the stems, the short apical inflorescence with fleshy green to violet-green flowers with short ovaries, and the lip entire to 3-lobed. Epidendrum olorteguii is recognized by its large habit, the large leaves, 6.0-14.5 × 2.2-6.0 cm, the large green flowers to yellow or rarely ivory white, column darker green or dirty white, tinged purple toward apex, the lip cream suffused with light green at the mid-lobe, the lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate sepals 30-40 mm long, the petals narrowly elliptic, and the lip 22-32 × 28-30 mm, 3-lobed, the lateral lobes 10-15 × 10-14 mm, prominent, transversely sub-rectangular, basal corners narrowly rounded, distal corner widely rounded and the mid-lobe 8-13 × 20-22 mm, constricted at base, then transversely elliptic, sides involute; apex with a short, thickened, narrowly triangular, reflexed apiculus. It is somewhat similar to Epidendrum tamaense Foldats found from Ecuador to Venezuela, which has smaller plants, leaves 3-14 × 2.0-4.3 cm, green to olive-green flowers, lip marked with purple veins; sepals 15-21 mm long; petals narrowly obtrullate, obtuse to acute, and the 3-lobed lip has lateral lobes sub-orbicular, mid-lobe obcuneate, deeply emarginate, with two sub-orbicular lobes.

Figures

Figure 11. Epidendrum olorteguii from Arista et al. 271 A habit B flower C dissected perianth D inflorescence at apex of stem E longitudinal section of flower F column and ovary apex from below (left) and above (right) G anther from above (up) and below (down), and pollinarium H capsules (Photographs by J. D. Edquen; plate prepared by X. Alcantara).