Epidendrum rigidum Jacq.

  • Authority

    Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.

  • Family

    Orchidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Epidendrum rigidum Jacq.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Plants repent epiphytes. Roots numerous, produced from rhizome, 1-2 mm diam. Stems erect, slender, rigid, covered by persistent leaf sheaths, to 25 cm long. Leaves 3-7, distichous, oblong-elliptic, obtuse, to 8 cm long, 15 mm wide. Inflorescences terminal, erect, short pedunculate, racemes 4-5 cm long, severalflowered; floral bracts distichous, conduplicate, ovate, 9-15 mm long, 3.5-8 mm broad (not spread). Flowers green, nonresupinate; perianth rigid, spreading. Pedicellate ovary 8-9 mm long and completely concealed by floral bracts. Dorsal sepal elliptic-obovate, 4-5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide; lateral sepals similar but oblique and rounded. Petals linear, 4-5 mm long, 1 mm wide. Lip attached to the entire length of the column; lamina simple, broadly ovate to suborbicular, flat to convex, ca. 3 mm long and wide. Column straight, 2-3 mm long; pollinia 4, yellow. Fruit ovoid-ellipsoidal, 8-14 mm long, beak ca. 3 mm long.

  • Discussion

    15. Epidendrum rigidum Jacquin, Enum. Syst. PL 29. 1760. Spathiger rigidus (Jacquin) Small, Fl. Miami 55. 1913. Type. Jacquin s.n., from Martinique (BM). Phenology & Pollination. Flowering occurs from approximately November to February. Brazilian plants are autogamous (Iannotti et al., 1987), and ours may be the same. The small, inconspicuous flowers offer no pollinator reward, yet fruit set generally is excellent. Illustrations. C. A. Luer, 1972; Dodson & Dodson, 1980; L. O. Williams & Allen, 1980; Atwood, 1987; Hamer, 1988; Ackerman & Del Castillo Mayda, 1992.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Central America, Florida (U.S.A.), Mexico, tropical South America, and West Indies.

    Central America| United States of America North America| Mexico North America| South America| West Indies| Puerto Rico South America|