Epidendrum radicans Pav. ex Lindl.

  • Family

    Orchidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Epidendrum radicans Pav. ex Lindl.

  • Primary Citation

    Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (Lindley) 104. 1831

  • Description

    Author: Catherine V. Bainbridge

    Description: Terrestrial or lithophytic, monopodial herbs, to ca. 1 m tall if erect, otherwise pendent or sprawling. Stems simple or branched, usually slender and leaf bearing on newer growth, the longish white roots originating opposite the bases of some of the leaves or absent. Leaves many, distichous; blades oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-12 x 0.6-3.5 cm, carnose, the apex obtuse. Inflorescence lax to short, umbellate or paniculate raceme of several to many resupinate, usually yellow to red or flame orange colored flowers, flowering simultaneously, produced at the apex of a scape which may be up to ca. 1 m long; scape slender, terete, sometimes covered with scarious, imbricating or well spaced bracts. Flowers: Dorsal sepal elliptic or elliptic oblong, 12-22 x 4-7 mm, the apex acute; lateral sepals similar to dorsal sepal but +/- oblique. Petals elliptic to obovate, 12-20 x 5-8 mm, the apex acute. Lip unguiculate, the claw adnate with the column, the margins usually lacerate, 3-lobed, often yellow towards center; lateral lobes larger than midlobe, rounded; midlobe deeply retuse to bilobed at apex, with 2 dentoid callus near the column apex and 2 parallel lamellae extending from the apex of the column towards the apex of the lip. Column elongate, arching, 10-14 mm long.

    Common names: Not recorded.

    Distribution: Mexico to Colombia from (400-) 800 to 1900 m.

    Ecology: Moist to wet and cloud forests. Although, quite a common species especially along mountainous roadsides, E. radicans is only known from one location on the Osa Peninsula, where a small population exists +/- growing in lagoon.

    Phenology: Flowers have been observed from Jan to April, Jun to Sep, Nov and Dec.

    Pollination: Given its brightly orange colored flowers, pollination by hummingbirds seems likely.

    Dispersal: Wind dispersed.

    Taxonomic notes: Dressler (1996) notes that the flowers of E. radicans are quite similar to that of the South American E. ibaguense, which has a straight column, but the plants are quite different. Similar as well is E. baumannianum, also documented from the Osa Peninsula.

    Conservation: CITES II

    Uses: Not recorded.

    Etymology: Not recorded.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Epidendrum radicans Pav. ex Lindl.: [Article] Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.