Epistephium duckei Huber

• Authority

  Schweinfurth, Charles. 1967. Orchidaceae of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 14: 69-214.

• Family

  Orchidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Epistephium duckei Huber

• Description

  Distribution and Ecology - BRAZIL. Amazonas: Iraruca, Içana, in caatinga in damp area, Richard de Lemos Froes 21399. BRITISH GUIANA. Upper Mazaruni River, Membaru Creek, plant up to 8 ft high, "perianth tube white, the lobes purple," February 13, 1939, A. S. Pinkus 213. COLOMBIA. Amazonas: Serra de Cupati, in sandy places, November 24, 1912, A. Ducke 37469 (type of E. Duckei) . Vaupes: on Rio Vaupes, at the base of Cerro Circasia, in sandy savannas, flowers yellowish white, March 7, 1944, R. E. Schultes 5851 A. VENEZUELA. Bolivar: Auyan-tepui, 1100 m alt., February 1938, G. H. H. Tate 1217; same locality, Faldas meridionales, sabana debajo de "Danto" en la segunda meseta (hombrillo) arriba del valle de Kamarata, arriba de Guayaraca, 1480 m alt., in open rocky places below dwarf woods, terrestrial 1 m tall, stems erect, leaves ascending, revolute, coriaceous, shining, olive green, flowers deep orchid-purple. May 18, 1964, J. A. Steyermark 94115 (no flowers seen) ; cumbre de la parte norte de la seccion sur (division occidental del cerro), a lo largo del Rio Churiin al pie de "Second Wall" de arenisca, desde el campamento norte, 5 km hacia el noreste, 1660 m alt., terrestrial in sandy stretclies along stream, stems up to 2.5 m tall, leaves ascending, subcoriaceous, revolute, shining, deep green above and dull beneath, flowers dark orchid. May 12, 1964, Steyermark 93768. Cerro Sanisareiiama, Alto Caura, 1200 m alt., F. Cardona 443; Rio Caroni near Salto Cutonaiima, 740 m alt., Cardona 1742; Cerro Acopan, Caroni, 1600 m alt., Cardona 2320; Gran Sabana, bordering forest near Rio Kaiiuai, northwest of Mission of Santa Teresita de Kavanayen, border of woods in savanna, 1220 m alt., stems erect, wine-purple, leaves coriaceous, dark green above and paler beneath, petals rose-purple, October 26, 1944, J. A. Steyermark 59402; vicinity of Km 127, south of El Dorado, northeast of Luepa, 800-1200 m alt., dwarf forest on level plateau in sandstone soil, terrestrial 2-3 m tall, pedicels ascending, dull green, sepals and petals rich orchid, lip deep orchid apically, column white, March 6-11, 1962, /. A. Steyermark & L. Aristeguieta 33. Amazonas: Cerro Sipapo (Paragua), frequent terrestrial near Intermediate Camp, 600 m alt., flowers purple, November 25, 1948, B. Maguire & L. Politi 27441; Cerro Sipapo in lower Caño Negro, 1400 m alt., rare terrestrial in boggy savanna, stems up to 3 m tall, January 1, 1949, Maguire & Politi 28094; same locality, in middle Cano Negro, 1600 m alt., infrequent terrestrial in grass bromeliad thickets, up to 3 m tall, flowers purple, lip marked with yellow, January 6, 1949, Maguire & Politi 28177; Cerro Huachamacari, Rio Cunucunuma, occasional on summit of East Ridge No. 1, 1820 m alt., plant terrestrial, unbranched, up to 3 m high, perianth purple, lip with lower part white, faintly fragrant, December 8, 1950, B. Maguire, R. S. Cowan & J. J. Wurdack 30065; Cerro Moriche, Rio Ventuari, frequent in montane savanna on east slope, 800 m alt., flowers red-purple, January 14, 1951, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30913 (buds only, so determination is probable only) . PERU (type of E. macrophyllum).

• Discussion

  Epistephium macrophyllum Schlechter, Fedde Repert. Beih. 9: 42. 1921; Mansf., Fedde Repert. Beih. 57: t. 142, nr. 557. 1929.