A NEW EPIDENDRUM FROM MEXICO 
BY 
OakES AMES 
THE SPECIES OF EPIDENDRUM described below is rep- 
resented in my herbarium by a single specimen received 
on July 22, 1987, from Erik Ostlund of Cuernavaca, 
Mexico. The notes accompanying this specimen indicate 
the existence in Mr. Ostlund’s garden of two distinct col- 
lections: one made in June 1935, in San Luis Potosi 
northwest of ‘Tamasopo; the other made in the same re- 
gion in November 19387, near Las Canoas. This is an 
extraordinarily beautiful Epidendrum and should be in 
general cultivation because of its horticultural merits. 
The specific name of this beautiful thing recalls to mem- 
ory Mrs. Mary L. Ostlund, whose deep interest in the 
orchids of Mexico found expression in her skilful and 
sympathetic care of the collection at Cuernavaca. 
Epidendrum Mariae Ames sp. nov. 
$ Encyclium. Pseudobulbi caespitosi, anguste pyri- 
formes, diphylli. Folia oblonga, utrinque angustata, a- 
pice acuta. Pedunculus elongatus, triflorus. Flores gran- 
des. Sepala lateralia anguste oblonga, acuta, nervosa. 
Sepalum dorsale simile. Petala lineari-oblonga, acuta. 
Labellum leviter panduratum, apice bifidum; discus 
medio callo carinato ornatus. Columna simplex, exauri- 
culata. Pollinia valde complanata. 
Pseudobulbs caespitose, slenderly pyriform, about 4 
cm. long, 11 mm. in diameter, finely and shallowly ru- 
gose, diphyllous at the summit. Leaves about 1 dm. 
long, up to 2 cm. wide, oblong, acute, olive-green. Pe- 
duncle 23 em. long, with several scarious closely appressed 
sheathing bracts which are 4.5 cm. apart, each one nigro- 
annulate at the base. Flowers large for the genus, few 
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