TROPICAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
Epidendrum bilobatum Ames sp. nov. Rhizoma 
validum, radicans, repens. Caules inter se dislantes, oblique 
erecti, juniores vaginis laxis vestiti. Folia disticha, ligulata, 
apice obscure bilobata. Inflorescentia terminalis, pauci- 
flora. Bracteae inllorescentiae conduplicatae, explanatae 
ovatae. Flores flavescentes. Sepala inaequaliter elliptica, 
concava, extus prope medium valde carinata, carina prope 
apicem sepalorum denliculata. Sepalum dorsale anguste 
ellipticum, acutum, concavum, nervis prominentibus in- 
tegris. Petala late spathulata. Labellum valde cochleatum, 
basi cordatum, apice profunde bilobatum. Discus nervis 
plus minusve prominentibus, nervo medio infra apicem 
columnae incrassato. Columna brevis labello adnata. 
Rhizome stout, creeping, with coarse whitish roots. 
Stems 20-30 cm. long to the base of the terminal peduncle, 
4-4.5 cm. apart on the rhizome, erect, about 4 mm. in 
diameter near the base, terete below, somewhat complanate 
above, leafy. Leaves 11-12.5 cm. long, 1.4-2 cm. wide, 
ligulate, bilobed at the obtuse tip, jointed to elongated 
sheaths, distichous. Peduncle with the raceme about 1 dm. 
long, few-llowered. Rachis of the raceme 8 cm. long, some¬ 
what zigzag. Bracts of the raceme 1.5-1.9 cm. long, dis¬ 
tichous, 1-2.5 cm. apart, rigid, conduplicate, ovate when 
spread out. Pedicel with the ovary somewhat rugose. 
Lateral sepals about 12 mm. long, elliptical, acute, strongly 
concave, deeply keeled on the outer surface near the mid¬ 
dle, the keel denticulate near the apex. Dorsal sepal about 
1.4 cm. long, hardly 6 mm. wide, narrowly elliptical, acute, 
prominently nerved. Petals 11 mm. long, 4 mm. wide above 
the middle, broadly spatulate, obtuse, prominently nerved. 
Labellum including the adnate column 1.5 cm. long, 1.5 cm. 
wide, deeply concave, cochleate, deeply bilobed in front, 
strongly cordate at the base. Nerves of the disc prominent, 
the middle one thickened near the base beneath the column. 
Column 7 mm. long, stout, dilated upward. 
A close ally of Epidendrum coriifolium Lindl., from 
which it is easily separable by means of its very dissimilar 
labellum. In the distant flowers similar to E. santaclarense 
Ames. 
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