Epidendrum rigidum
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
{{Expand Portuguese|topic=scitech|date=December 2009|Epidendrum rigidum}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Epidendrum rigidum.JPG
| display_parents = 3
| genus = Epidendrum
| parent = Epidendrum subsect. Spathacea
| species = rigidum
| authority = Jacq.
| synonyms = Epidendrum pium Rchb.f. & Warm.
Epidendrum cardiophorum Schltr.
Spathiger rigidus (Jacq.) Small
}}
Epidendrum rigidum is an epiphytic reed-stemmed Epidendrum orchid common throughout the Neotropical lowlands, below {{cvt|600|m}}. (The Flora of North AmericaFlora of North America 26(609)downloaded in October, 2009 from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101582 recognizes a distinct species, E. cardiophorum Schltr., which replaces E. rigidum in Mexico and Central America; Kew lists E. cardiophorum Schltr. as a synonym for E. rigidum.{{Cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/|title = World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew}})
Description
E. rigidum has been placed in the subgenus E. subg Epidendrum Lindl. (1841)H. G. Reichenbach item 307 of "ORCHIDES" in C. Müller: Walpers. Annales Botanices Systematicae VI(1861) p. 400 because its sympodial stems do not thicken to form pseudobulbs, its stems are covered by the basal sheaths of its distichous leaves, and its peduncle emerges from the apical leaf without being covered by any bract or sheath. The basal parts of the stems unite to form a creeping rhizome; the upper parts grow to {{cvt|20|cm}} long and can assume erect, horizontal, or hanging postures.C. Dodson & R. Vásquez "EPIDENDRUM RIGIDUM Jacq.", Plate 0334 in C. Dodson, Ed. Icones Plantarum Tropicarum, Series II Orchids of Bolivia Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. 1989. The lathery ovate-oblong obtuse leaves are {{cvt|3|–|8|cm}} long and apically bilobed. As with other members of E. subsect. Spathacea Rchb.f. 1861, the racemose inflorescence bears enlarged spathaceous floral bracts. The green, non-resupinate, fleshy flowers are partially covered by the large, dolabriform bracts. The ovate obtuse sepals are {{cvt|5|mm}} long, with the lateral sepals larger than the dorsal sepal. The linear petals are also {{cvt|5|mm}} long. As with other members of the genus Epidendrum, the lip is adnate to the column to its apex. The lip is heart-shaped where it diverges from the column, ovate, and obtuse at the apex.
The diploid chromosome number of E. rigidum has been determined as 2n = 40.page 252. Leonardo P. Felix and Marcelo Guerra: "Variation in chromosome number and the basic number of subfamily Epidendroideae (Orchidaceae)" Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 163(2010)234-278, The Linnean Society of London
Homonymy
- Epidendrum rigidum Lodd. 1829 nom. illeg. is a synonym for E. ramosum Jacq. 1760
- Epidendrum rigidum var. angustisegmentum L.O.Williams 1946 is a synonym for E. angustisegmentum (L.O.Williams) Hágsater 1999
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons-inline|italic=1}}
- {{Wikispecies-inline|Epidendrum rigidum|Epidendrum rigidum}}
- A photograph of the flowers may be found at [http://www.orchidspecies.com/epirigidum.htm The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia]
- Photographs of the flowering plant and leaves may be found at http://www.cybertruffle.org.uk/vinales/eng/epidendrum_rigidum.htm
- http://titanarum.uconn.edu/199100202.html
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5382803}}
Category:Orchids of Central America
Category:Taxa named by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin
Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Laeliinae-stub}}