EPIDENDRUM 83 



imbricate bracts. Sepals free, equal, spreading or reflexed, or 

 more rarely somewhat erect. Petals somewhat similar to the 

 sepals, or more rarely much narrower. Claw of the lip erect, 

 adpressed to the column and more or less connate with it into a 

 tube ; lateral lobes obsolete or more rarely dilated embracing 

 the column ; blade spreading, undivided or 3-fid ; disc with 

 various calli. Column generally narrow, connate with the claw 

 of the lip even to the apex, sometimes free, semiterete or more 

 rarely 2-winged or 2-auriculate ; clinandrium generally short. 

 Anther terminal, opercular, incumbent, convex or semiglobose, 

 distinctly 2-celled, each cell again divided longitudinally ; pollinia 

 4, waxy, ovate or broad, equal, compressed from the side, in one 

 series, connected in each cell by a granular-viscous appendage. 

 Capsule ovoid or oblong, the ribs often very prominent, or 

 sometimes winged. 



Species about 750, widely dispersed through tropical America, 

 a few extending to the southern States of North America. 



I. Column connate with lip beyond its middle or even as far as the 

 apex (but only to about the middle in E. cochleatum and E. spondiaduni) . 



1. With pseudobulbs. 



Lip 3-lobed, with fringed lobes 1. E.ciliare. 



Lip entire. 



Lip greenish-white with purple streaks ... 2. E. fragrans. 



Lip purple 3. E. cochleatum. 



Lip indistinctly 2-] obed, cream-colour blotched 



with reddish-purple 4. E. spondiadum. 



2. Without pseudobulbs. 



a. Floral bracts inconspicuous, much shorter 

 than the flowers. 

 .Sterile bracts none, or a few similar to 

 floral bracts. 

 Flowers more than 1J inch 1., apparently 

 solitary. 



Lateral lobes of lip semi-ovate 5. E. nocturnum. 



Lateral lobes of lip linear 6. E. angastilobum. 



Flowers less than f inch 1. 



Flowers umbellate 7. E. difforme. 



Flowers in a raceme or panicle. 



Lip undivided 8. E. jamaicense. 



Lip 3-lobed with terminal lobe 

 2-partite. 

 Lip longer than sepals, lateral lobes 



oblong, apex of lobes eroded... 9. E. verrucosum. 

 Lip not longer than sepals, lateral 

 lobes rounded, apex of lobes 



entire 10. E. patens. 



Sterile bracts spathaceous. 

 Lateral lobes of lip entire. 



Flowers in a panicle ; lateral lobes of 



lip trapezoid-roundish 11. E. nutans. 



Flowers in a crowded raceme, almost 

 like a head; lateral lobes of lip 



roundish, almost obsolete 12. E. anceps. 



Lateral lobes of lip fringed 13. E. rivulare. 



G 2 



