Epidendrum peperomia Rchb. f. 1876 Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding

Plant and Flowers Photo courtesy of Allen Black

Close up view of plant and flowers Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by Hanging Gardens.

Plant in situ Costa Rica Photo courtesy of Wilfried Löderbusch

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Common Name The Peperomia-Like Epidendrum

Flower Size 3/4" to 1" [2.5 cm]

Found from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru adn Brazil in pine and oak forests at altitudes of 600 to 2700 meters as a dwarf, epiphytic, warm to cool growing, reedstem herb which forms large mats of clustered leafy stems carrying coriaceous-fleshy, distichous, oblong, obtuse or emarginate leaves that can bloom at any time with large, one to a few flowers on a terminal inflorescence emerging from between the apical leaves and subtended by bracts. This species has no pseudobulbs, instead it is a stem growing to 3" [8 cm] long with a series of alternating, succulent leaves suffused with purle if given bright light. Can be mounted on treefern or in a suspended pot with a coarse mix to allow the roots to get air. It can then grow out and over the edge of the pot and makes an impressive display when blooming. Grow warm to cool with bright light to partial full sun, ample water while growing and misting through the winter instead of a watering.

Synonyms Epidendrum gnomus Schlechter 1921; Epidendrum lambeauanum De Wild. 1904; Epidendrum matthewsii Rchb.f 1876; Epidendrum porpax Rchb.f 1944; Epidendrum porphyrophyllum Schlechter 1922; Nanodes gnomus (Schltr.) Brieger 1977; Nanodes matthewsii [Rchb.f] Rolfe 1892; Nanodes porpax (Rchb. f.) Brieger 1960; Nanodes porpax (Rchb. f.) Brieger & Lückel 1978; Neolehmannia mathewsii (Rchb. f.) Garay 1977; Neolehmannia peperomia (Rchb. f.) Garay & Dunst. 1976; Neolehmannia porpax [Rchb.f] Garay & Dunsterville 1976

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Vol 1 Dunsterville & Garay 1959 as Epidendrum porpax; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 3 1970; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 883 Dodson 1983 as Neolehmannia porpax; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 2 COS 1991 as E porpax; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 2 Dodson 2002 as E matthewsii; Vanishing Beauty; Native Costa Rican Orchids Vol 1 Pupulin 2005 as Epidendrum porpax