Epidendrum luceroae J.S.Moreno, Hágsater, E.Santiago & García-Revelo 2018 GROUP Polythallum
TYPE Photo/TYPE Drawing by © R Jimenez and The AMO Herbaria Website
Common Name Lucero's Epidendrum [location of the orchid]
Flower Size .64" [1.6 cm]
Found in Valle de Cauca department of Colombia in lower montane forest at elevations around 2200 meters as a giant sized, cold growing epiphyte with s cane-like, terete, branching, the branches produced from the apical
internodes of the previous stem; primary stem 72 to 76" x .16 to .28" [180 to 190 x 0.4 to 0.7 cm], scandent, producing alternate branches sub-apically; secondary branches 3.04 to 10.4" x .12" [7.6 to 26
x 0.3 cm], these producing tertiary branches 2.2 to 5.4" x .16" [5.5-13.4 x 0.4 cm], and successively shorter branches, from which the flowers are produced; base of all
branches covered by tubular, non-foliar, scarious sheaths and carrying 3 to 5 persistent at time of flowering, main stem not seen, distributed towards the apex of the stems, sub-coriaceous, dark green above, underside pale green, concolor, sub-spreading, slightly arched, with tubular, striated basal sheaths; blade oblong-lanceolate, sub-acute, margin sub-entire, minutely ciliate towards the apex,
spreading leaves that blooms in the late summer and early fall on an apical, racemose, pendent, peduncle .4 to .52" [1.0 to 1.3 cm] long, terete, 1.8 to 2" [4.5 to 5.0 cm] long overall, laxly, simultaneously 2 to 4 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, triangular-lanceolate, acute,
embracing floral bracts and carrying resupinate, greenish yellow flowers without fragrance.
"Epidendrum luceroae belongs to the GROUP Polythallum, recognized by the monopodial, much branched stems, with a tall primary
stem, numerous secondary and tertiary stems and the numerous shorter flowers stems, the nodding inflorescence bears only 3 to 4 pale yellow flowers, lip
3-lobed, bicallose, with 5 parallel ribs on the disc, which merge into a much-thickened mid-rib. The species is recognized by the plants to 88 to 96" [220 to 240 cm]
tall, with sub-apical branching, leaves 1.4 to 2.68" x .28 to .52" [3.5 to 6.7 x 0.7 to 1.3 cm], oblong-elliptic, sub-spreading and somewhat arched, laxly few-flowered, producing 2 to 4 greenish yellow, concolor flowers, rachis straight; lip base cordate, lateral lobes dolabriform, petals with apical margin denticulate. It is vegetatively
similar to 
LATE EARLY
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Orchidacearum 16[1] Plate 1637 Hagsater 2018 drawing fide;
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