''Epidendrum cinnabarinum'', 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 ...

'', discovered by the German collector

Philipp Salzmann Philipp is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: "Philipp" has also been a shortened version of Philippson, a German surname especially prevalent amongst German Jews and Dutch Jews. Surname * Adolf Philipp (1864� ...

Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...

, close to

Salvador Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

, and published by

John Lindley 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 w ...

in 1831. The specific epithet refers to the vermilion flowers. ''E. cinnabarinum'' is similar to (and sometimes confused with) '' E. fulgens'' and ''E. puniceoluteum'', as well as red forms of the other crucifix orchids.

Description

This

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 ...

reed-stemmed Epidendrum displays a pseudomonopodial habit: an individual stem (to 1 m. tall), will grow continuously at the tip for some time bearing fleshy lanceolate green leaves, 2 cm. wide by 10 cm. long, before producing a terminal bloom spike, which usually equals or exceeds the length of the stem. Nevertheless, the flowers come from the top of the stem (halting its upward growth), and new stems start from buds at the base of the old stems, thus making the plant sympodial, like the rest of the subtribe

Laeliinae Laeliinae is a Neotropical subtribe including 40 orchid genera, such as ''Brassavola'', ''Laelia'' and ''Cattleya''. The genus ''Epidendrum'' is the largest within this subtribe, containing about 1500 species. This is followed by the genus ''En ...

. The inflorescence is a short, highly congested raceme of non-resupinate, ruby red to orange flowers at the end of a long peduncle covered from its base through much of its length with tight imbricate sheathes. The deeply lacerate trilobate lip is adnate to the end of the column, with an orange region surrounding the end of the column, a pair of tubercles on either side of the column, and a keel or carina between the tubercles. Unlike some of the crucifix orchids, ''E. cinnabarinum'' does not tolerate temperatures below 2 °C. The

diploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...

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. cinnabarinum'' has been determined as 2''n'' = ''~240, the

haploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...

chromosome number Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...

as 108—124.

Distribution

''E. cinnabarinum'' grows naturally in Brazilian coastal states, ranging from Rio Grande do Norte in the north to Bahia in the south. It is also found in Venezuela.Pabst, GFJ & Dungs, F. (1975). ''Orchidaceae Brasilienses'', vol. 1. Brucke Kurt Schmersow-Verlag, Hildesheim.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5223832 cinnabarinum Plants described in 1831 Orchids of Brazil Orchids of Bahia Flora of Rio Grande do Norte Orchids of Venezuela