CENTRAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
In the specimen collected by Purpus the inflorescence 
is about 20 cm. long, with eight flowers in a loose raceme. 
Raceme 13 cm. long. The perianth, muriculate capsule, and 
slender pedicel taken together are about 4 cm. long. Pseu¬ 
dobulbs about 4 cm. long, trifoliate. Leaves rigid, coria¬ 
ceous, up to 18 cm. long, about 1.5 cm. wide. 
Epidendrum gravidum appears to be a cleistogamous 
species. 
Mexico, Xapatam, Hartweg, February 1837. (Type 
in Herb. Kew.(Lindley Coll.)): Federal District, Zacualpan, 
C. A. Purpus 62, 1907. 
Plate 2. 1, raceme drawn from a photograph of 
Lindley’s type, three-fourths natural size. 2, column drawn 
from a flower of Lindley’s type ( x 4). 3, flower, the perianth 
segments spread out, drawn from the type ( x 1 34 ). 4, plant 
drawn from a specimen collected by C. A. Purpus no. 62, 
three-fourths natural size. 
Epidendrum imatophyllum Lindl. Gen. & Sp. Orch. 
(1831) 106. 
Epidendrum palpigerum Reichb. /. in Card. Chron. 
ser. 2, 12 (1879) 40. Epidendrum lorifolium Schltr. in Fedde 
Repert. Beihefte 17 (1922) 35. 
Epidendrum imatophyllum Lindl., as I understand it, is a 
■widespread species in tropical America. It ranges from 
Mexico to Brazil. From my field observations it would seem 
to grow in the nests of ants on trees and to flower throughout 
its Central American range from February to May. 
Dr. Rudolf Schlechter, in his recent paper devoted to 
C. 'W. Powell’s Panama orchids, proposed a new species 
Under the name Epidendrum lorifolium. He would have us 
believe that this represents a Central American plant which 
has passed as Epidendrum imatophyllum Lindl. In his notes 
he implies that it is different in the structure of the labellum 
from Schomburgk’s Guiana plant from which Lindley pre¬ 
pared the description of E. imatophyllum. 
I have examined herbarium material of E. lorifolium 
submitted to me by Mr. Powell; I have studied living 
plants in Mr. Powell’s garden in Balboa. This material is 
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