''Epidendrum calanthum'' is a terrestrial reed-stemmed ''

Epidendrum ''Epidendrum'' , abbreviated Epi in the horticultural trade, is a large neotropical genus of the orchid family. With more than 1,500 species, some authors describe it as a mega-genus. The genus name (from Greek ''επί, epi'' and ''δένδρο ...

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

from the montane

Tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equa ...

of Bolivia (including

Cochabamba Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa; qu, Quchapampa) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and the fourth largest city in Bolivia, with a population of 630 ...

), Colombia,

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

, and the

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Description

''E. calanthum'' shares with other members of the subgenus ''E''. subg. ''Amphiglottium''

Lindl. John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley ...

(1842) a

sympodial Sympodial growth is a bifurcating branching pattern where one branch develops more strongly than the other, resulting in the stronger branches forming the primary shoot and the weaker branches appearing laterally. A sympodium, also referred to a ...

habit, terete stems covered from the base with close, tubular, disthicous sheathes which are leaf-bearing on the upper part of the stem, and a terminal peduncle covered from its base with close, tubular sheathes. The stem grows to 1 m tall below the inflorescence, and the inflorescence itself grow to 0.4 m tall, with the white to pink resupinate flowers born in a congested raceme at the end. The leaves grow to 10 cm long. The oblong sepals are 9 mm long. The petals are 9 mm long and narrower than the sepals, with serulate to erose edges. The broad, lacerate

lip The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...

is adnate to the column to its apex, and is trilobate, as is typical for the section ''E''. sect. ''Schistochila'', although the lacerations on the margins of the lobes are nearly as deep as the lacunae between the lobes, making the lip almost seem to be entire. The central lobe is divided in two at the apex and bears the keel or carina typical of the subsection ''E''. subsect. ''Carinata'' beginning near the apex of the column between two small bumps and extending nearly to the apex of the lip. The chromosome number of ''E. calanthum'' is 2n = 30. Although ''E. calanthum'' bears a remarkable similarity to '' E. imatophyllum'' due to both species having nearly undivided lips, Dodson & Vásquez 1989 notes that they can be easily distinguished because ''E. calanthum'' has resupinate flowers, whereas the flowers of ''E. imatophyllum'' are non-resupinate. The diploid

chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

number of ''E. calanthum'' has been determined as 2''n'' = 30. It can hybridize with other species, blurring species boundaries in sympatric populations

Synonymy

*''Epidendrum calanthum'' var. ''revertianum'' Stehlé (1939) and ''Epidendrum calanthum'' subsp. ''revertianum'' ( Stehlé) Sastre (1990) are now recognized as synonyms for '' Epidendrum revertianum'' (Stehlé) Hágsater (1993). *''Epidendrum calanthum'' var. ''rubrum'' Stehlé (1939) is now recognized as a synonym for '' Epidendrum rubroticum'' Hágsater (1993).

References

External links

* http://verdantgreenla.org/related_species/epidendrum_species_pages/epidendrum_calanthum.html
The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia
* http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/v/Cattleya+Alliance/Epidendrum/aae.jpg.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20080424231502/http://www.abundaflora.com/epidendrum_calanthum.htm * http://maqui.ucdavis.edu/Images/Orchids/epidendrum_calanthum.html {{Taxonbar, from=Q5308715 calanthum Orchids of Bolivia Orchids of Colombia Orchids of Ecuador Orchids of Peru Orchids of Venezuela