CENTRAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
Racemus elongatus, breviter ramosiis, multiflorus. Brac- 
teae inflorescentiae rigidae, abbreviatae, subacutae, con- 
caviusculae. Pedicellus cum ovario glaber. Flores plus 
minusve in ramis racemi congest!. Sepala lateralia ligulata, 
utrinque angustata, apice incrassata, breviter carinata. 
Sepalum dorsale simile. Petala anguste oblanceolata, acuta. 
Labellum trilobatum, usque ad basim liberum; lobis later- 
alibus oblongis, obtusis, purpureo-tinctis, nervis purpureis; 
Ipbo medio orbiculari-ovato, acuto. Discus callosus, callo 
sulcato in nervis tribus incrassatis producto. Columna 
carnosa, utrinque prope apicem alata. 
Roots coarse, whitish. Pseudobulbs about 5 cm. long, 
3 cm. in diameter, globose-pyriform, trifoliate. Leaves 
18-30 cm. or more long, 2-2.5 cm. wide, ligulate, very 
coriaceous, narrowed gradually to an obtuse tip. Peduncle 
with the inflorescence about 40 cm. long, the upper two- 
thirds floriferous, the flowers borne on alternating ab¬ 
breviated branches which are 1.5-3 cm. long, each branch 
bearing from three to seven flowers. Bracts of the in¬ 
florescence about 1.5 mm. long, rigid, concave, acute. 
Pedicel with the ovary 1.5 cm. long, smooth. Lateral 
sepals 11 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, ligulate, narrowed toward 
both ends, acute, shortly carinate-thickened beneath the 
tip. Dorsal sepal similar. Petals about 11 mm. long, 2.5 
mm. wide above the middle, narrowly oblanceolate, acute. 
Labellum free from the column to the base, about 1 cm. 
long, 3-lobed; lateral lobes oppressed to the column, oblong, 
obtuse, 5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, rounded at the tip, stained 
and striped with rose-purple; middle lobe including the 
short isthmus 8 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, orbicular-ovate, 
acute. Disc provided with a fleshy excavated or sulcate cal¬ 
lus which extends upon the middle lobe where it terminates 
in three raised nerves. Column 5 mm. long, provided in 
front, — on each side, — with a short obtuse wing as in E. 
diurnum (Jacq.) Reichb. f. 
Related to Epidendrum ramonense Reichb. f., from 
which it differs conspicuously in the denser, shortly branched 
inflorescence. The flowers appear to have been greenish 
yellow with purple markings on the lip. 
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