Epidendrum catillus is an epiphytic orchid native to Colombia (where the type was collected), Ecuador and Peru at altitudes ranging from 0.8 km to 1.6 km.[1]

Epidendrum catillus
Epidendrum catillus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Epidendrum
Subgenus: Epidendrum subg. Amphiglottium
Section: Epidendrum sect. Schistochila
Subsection: Epidendrum subsect. Tuberculata
Species:
E. catillus
Binomial name
Epidendrum catillus
Rchb.f. & Warsz. (1854)
Synonyms

Epidendrum vinosum Schltr. (1921)

Description

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E. catillus has been placed in E. subg. Amphiglottium Lindl. (1841) by Reichenbach.[2] Like other members of this subgenus, E. catillus has thin stems which show no tendency to produce pseudobulbs, covered with tight, tubular sheathes which bear distichous leaves on the upper part of the stem, a long apical peduncle covered from its base with tight tubular sheathes, and a lip which is adnate to the column to its apex. The plant height is variable, from 0.2 m to 1 m. The leathery leaves grow as long as 7.5 cm, and as wide as 3.5 cm. The inflorescence is usually a raceme, although paniculate inflorescences have been observed; the flowers are born close together near the end of the raceme. The flowers are red to violet and white, and open fully. The oblong sepals are grow to 1.5 cm long, the petals are somewhat smaller. As is typical of E. sect. Schistochila, the lip has lateral lobes and a medial lobe, which divides in two in this species. As is typical of E. subsect. Tuberculata, the lip margins are crenulate to lacerate, and the lip bears an irregularly-shaped tubercule; in this species, the large tubercule extends much of the way down the medial lobe and into the lateral lobes, is mostly white, and is accompanied by two small colored calli, one on either side of the column apex.

Reichenbach 1861 compares this species to E. cochlidium.

References

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  1. ^ Schweinfurth "Orchids of Peru" Fieldiana:Botany 30(1960)419,421. Field Museum. Chicago, Illinois.
  2. ^ H. G. Reichenbach "ORCHIDES" Nr. 285 in C. Müller, Ed. Walpers Annales Botanices Systematicae 6(1861)393-394. Berlin.
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