Epidendrum hartmanniorum Karremans & M.Díaz, 2016

Díaz-Morales, Melissa & Karremans, Adam P., 2016, Epidendra Nova Talamancana, Phytotaxa 272 (4), pp. 248-256 : 248-250

Epidendrum hartmanniorum Karremans & M.Díaz , sp. nov.

Type: — COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: Coto Brus, Sabalito, Zona Protectora Las Tablas , 15 km al noreste de Lucha, Sitio Tablas , en potreros de la Finca Sandí-Hartmann “El Capricho”, epífitas en árboles aislados en bosque pluvial montano bajo, 2,162 m, 8°58’01.98” N 82°44’57.42” W, 11 December 2013, A. P. Karremans 6166, D. Bogarín, M. Fernández & L. Sandoval (holotype, JBL-Spirit!; fig. 1 )

Diagnosis:— Epidendrum hartmanniorum is related to Epidendum palmense Ames (1923: 33) but differs by the smaller overall size, shorter stems, flowers almost half the size and successive flowers. Epidendrum hartmanniorum is also similar to Epidendrum palmidium Hágsater (1999a: 364) but is distinguished from it by the larger and wider leaves, a smaller flower size and the successive flowers; also E. palmidium is apparently distributed at lower elevations. Epidendrum mocinoi Hágsater (1999b: 357) has similar flowers in size and shape, but can be distinguished for the lax inflorescence, the floral bracts shorter than the ovary and rounded rather than acute, the sepals completely spreading and the petals with the apex rounded to obtuse rather than acute.

Epiphytic, sympodial, scandent herb, up to 30 cm tall including the inflorescence. Roots 3–4 mm in diameter, fleshy. Stems 11–17 × 0.9–1.3 cm, erect, cane-like, laterally compressed. Leaves, 1–2, restricted toward the apical half of the stem; leaf sheath 1.5–4.0 cm long, tubular, laterally compressed, striated; blade 10–12 × 1.7–2.5 cm, articulate, oblong to narrowly elliptic, apex deeply bilobed, margin entire, sub-coriaceous. Spathaceous bracts lacking. Inflorescence apical, from mature growth, distichous, racemose, flowering only once, sub-erect, laterally compressed; peduncle covered by 7–9 imbricating, conduplicate, carinate, acuminate, laterally compressed bracts. Floral bracts 2.0– 2.5 cm long, longer than the ovary, acute, conduplicate, divergent, slightly incurved, mainly green with purple at the apex. Nectary penetrating the length of the ovary, deep, forming a prominent vesicle. Flowers 5–9, successive, 3–6 open at once, non-resupinate, the lip always towards the rachis, mainly green, purple in the tips and the base of tepals and lip. Sepals free, partially spreading, ovate, acuminate, 7-veined, glabrous, margin entire; dorsal sepals 11.0 × 3.7 mm; lateral sepals 12.0 × 5.1 mm, oblique. Petals 11.5–12.5 × 4.5–5.5 mm, adherent to the lateral sepals, ovate, apex acute, margin entire. Lip 12.0–12.5 × 12.5–12.7 mm, reniform, pandurate, base deeply cordate, 3-ribbed, the lateral ribs short, half the length of the central rib, the fleshy central rib thickened, widened toward the apex. Column 6.0– 6.5 mm long, straight, thick, the clinandrium-hood reduced, entire; rostellum sub-apical, slit. Anther ovoid, 4-celled. Pollinia 4, obovoid, laterally compressed; caudicles granulose, longer than the pollinia. Capsule not seen.

Distribution:—Known only from Costa Rica.

Eponymy:—The name honors the Hartmann family, probably the first to establish themselves in the area where the species was found.

Habitat in Costa Rica: —Known only from the plant found at Las Tablas protected area. It grows epiphytically on isolated trees in a montane rainforest, just above 2100 m elevation.

Phenology: —Flowering in June in cultivation.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Epidendrum harmanniorum Karremans & M.Díaz. Lankester Composite Digital Plate (LCDP) prepared from the plant that served as the holotype. A. habit. B. flower. C. dissected perianth. D. inflorescence. E. anther cap and pollinarium. F. column (ventral and lateral views). G. lateral view of the longitudinally dissected column, with the nectary exposed.