Epidendrum paniculatum explained

Epidendrum paniculatum (gloss: paniculate upon a tree) is a species of orchid in the genus Epidendrum.

Taxonomy

Reichenbach determined that E. fastigiatum Lindl. 1853,^[1] E. floribundum Kunth 1816,^[2] and E. paniculatum Ruiz & Pav. (1798),^[3] including E. cuspidatum Lindl. (1853), E. laevi Lindl. (1844), and E. longicrure Lindl. (1853) were three separate species. Because E. fastigiatum Lindl. 1853 and E. paniculatum Ruiz & Pav. (1798) had the lower part of the inflorescences covered in imbricate sheathes, Reichenbach placed them in the section Amphiglotium Polycladia. Because E. floribundum Kunth 1816 had no imbricate sheaths on the lower part of the inflorescence, Reichenbach placed it in the subsection Euepidendrum Planifolia Paniculata.

According to the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families published by Kew,^[4] E. fastigiatum Lindl. 1853 and E. floribundum Kunth 1816 are both synonyms for Epidendrum paniculatum Ruiz & Pav. (1798).

In 1984, the diploid chromosome number of an individual identified as E. floribundum Kunth was determined as 2n = 40.^[5]

Notes and References

1. [Rchb.f.|H. G. Reichenbach]
2. [Rchb.f.|H. G. Reichenbach]
3. [Rchb.f.|H. G. Reichenbach]
4. Web site: World Checklist of Selected Plant families. 2010-04-05.
5. page 252 of Leonardo P. Felix and Marcelo Guerra: "Variation in chromosome number and the basic number of subfamily Epidendroideae (Orchidaceae)" Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 163(2010)234-278. The Linnean Society of London. downloaded October 2010 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2010.01059.x/pdf