Epidendrum radicans is a species of orchid native to Central America and northern South America. Common names include ground-rooting epidendrum, fire-star orchid, crucifix orchid, rainbow orchid, and reed-stem epidendrum.
Epidendrum secundum, one of the crucifix orchids, is a poorly understood reed stemmed species, which Dressler (1989) describes as "the Epidendrum secundum complex." According to Dressler, there are dozens of varieties, some of which appear to deserve species rank. Arditti and Ghani note that E. secundum has the distinction of bearing the longest seeds known in the Orchidaceae, 6.0 mm long. By comparison, the seeds of E. ibaguense are only 2.9 mm long.
Epidendrum denticulatum, one of the crucifix orchids, is a reed stemmed species which, at least in herbarium specimens, is frequently confused with E. secundum Jacq.
Epidendrum flexuosum, a reed-stemmed Epidendrum common at mid-altitudes in Central America, is a species of orchid commonly called Epidendrum imatophyllum. It grows exposed to intense sunlight in the forest canopy, particularly on Guava species. E. flexuosum bears non-resupinate lavender flowers on a congested raceme at the end of a long peduncle.
Epidendrum macrocarpum, widely known as Epidendrum schomburgkii, is a species of orchid in the genus Epidendrum, and the largest-flowering crucifix orchid species. Reichenbach thought that E. fulgens and E. schomburgkii var. confluens were both synonyms for this species.
Epidendrum microphyllum is a species of tropical orchid in the genus Epidendrum with non-resupinate flowers.
Epidendrum rigidum is an epiphytic reed-stemmed Epidendrum orchid common throughout the Neotropical lowlands, below 600 m (2,000 ft).
John Lindley published Epidendrum subg. Spathium of the Orchidaceae. According to Lindley's diagnosis, the E. subg. Spathium is recognizable by is sympodial habit with individual stems being slender and covered by the bases of the distichous leaves, by the lip of the flower being adnate to the column to its apex, and by the inflorescence emerging from at least one spathe, similar to nearly all members of the genus Cattleya as understood in the year 2000. Reichenbach recognized 52 species in this subgenus, of which Kew accepts 48 :
The subgenus Pleuranthium of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae is distinguished from the other subgenera by having lateral inflorescences on the reed-like stems of the sympodial plant. With the exception of subgenus PsilanthemumKlotzsch, all of the remaining subgenera produce terminal inflorescences.
Epidendrum subsect. UmbellataRchb.f. (1861) is a subsection of section E. sect. PlanifoliaRchb.f. (1861) of subgenus E. subg. EpidendrumLindl. (1841) of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. Plants of E. subsect. Umbellata differ from the other subsections of E. sect. Planifolia by producing inflorescences which are umbel-like. In 1861, Reichenbach recognized ten species in this subsection. Of these, nine are recognized with the same names by Kew :
Epidendrum subsect. SpathaceaRchb.f. is a subsection of the section E. sect. PlanifoliaRchb.f. 1861 of the subgenus E. subg. EpidendrumLindl. 1841 of the genus EpidendrumLindl. of the Orchidaceae. Like the other subsections of E. sect. Planifolia, the species of E. subsect. Spathacea are characterized by a sympodial growth habit without pseudobulbs, a lack of any spathes or sheathes covering the base of the racemose inflorescence, and by flat leaves. The species categorized in Spathacea differ from the members of the other subsections by having large floral bracts, which make the inflorescence resemble a strobilus. Reichenbach originally placed eight species in this subsection :
Epidendrum subsect. PaniculataRchb.f. 1861 is a subsection of section E. sect. Planifolia of subgenus E. subgen. Epidendrum of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. Plants of E. subsect. Paniculata differ from the other subsections of E. sect. Planifolia by producing paniculate inflorescences. In 1861, Reichenbach recognized eighteen species in this subsection. From this group, Kew recognizes seventeen species :
Epidendrum subsect. Tuberculata is a subsection of the section Schistochila of the subgenus AmphiglottiumLindl. of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. This subsection differs from the subsection Integra in that the margins of the trilobate lip are dentate or lacerate. This subsection differs from the subsection Carinata by possessing a callus, or tubercule on the midlobe of the lip. In 1861, Reichenbach recognized 22 species in this subsection. Many, but not all, have since been brought into synonymy with Epidendrum secundum.
Integra is a subsection of the section Schistochila of the subgenus Amphiglotium (Lindl.) of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. Like the other subsections of Schistochila, Integra plants are sympodial orchids with no tendency to produce pseudobulbs. They bear a terminal inflorescence with a peduncle covered for most of its length with close, thin, imbricate sheaths, and terminating in a raceme. This subsection differs from the other two in that the margins of the trilobate lip are not lacerate, fringed, or denticulate. In 1861, Reichenbach listed fifteen separate species in this subsection. Some of these names are now recognized as synonyms
Epidendrum subsect. CarinataRchb.f. (1861) is a subsection of the section E. sect. SchistochilaRchb.f. (1861) of the subgenus E. subg. AmphiglottiumLindl. (1841) of the genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. This subsection differs from the subsection E. subsect. Integra in that the margins of the trilobate lip are dentate or lacerate. This subsection differs from the subsection E. subsect. Tuberculata by possessing a keel or carina on the midlobe of the lip. In 1861, Reichenbach listed nine species in this subsection.
Epidendrum sect. SchistochilaRchb.f. (1861) is a section of the subgenus E. subg. AmphiglottiumLindl. (1841) of the Genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. E. sect. Schistochila differs from the section E. sect. Holochila in that the species in E. sect. Holochila have undivided lips; the species in E. sect. Schistochila have lobate lips. The species in both E. sect. Schistochila and E. sect. Holochila have racemose inflorescences, unlike those in E. sect. Polycladia, which have truly paniculate inflorescences. Like the other sections of E. subg. Amphiglottium, the members of E. sect. Schistochila are sympodial orchids bearing thin stems with alternate leaves, a long peduncle covered with thin, imbricating sheathes, and a lip adnate to the very end of the column.
Epidendrum sect. PolycladiaRchb.f. 1861 is a section of the Subgenus E. subg. AmphiglottiumLindl. of the Genus Epidendrum of the Orchidaceae. This plants in this section differ from the plants in the other sections of E. subg. Amphiglottium by having truly paniculate inflorescences: the section E. sect. Holochila is characterized by racemose inflorescences and an undivided lip, and the section E. sect. Schistochila is characterized by racemose inflorescences and a lobed lip.
Epidendrum hemiscleria is a sympodial epiphytic orchid native to the tropical cloud forest of Ecuador and Peru, at altitudes near 3.3 km.
Epidendrum sect. Holochila Rchb.f. 1861 is a section of subgenus Epidendrum subg. Amphiglottium of the Orchidaceae. It differs from section E. sect. Polycladia by bearing inflorescences that are racemes, not panicles. It differs from section E. sect. Schistochila by having a lip with no lobes. Like the other sections of E. subg. Amphiglottium, plants of E. sect. Holochila exhibit slender stems covered with close imbricating sheaths which do not swell to form pseudobulbs, and terminal inflorescences covered at the base with close imbricating sheaths but without spathes.
Epidendrum calanthum is a terrestrial reed-stemmed Epidendrum orchid from the montane Tropical rainforest of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and the West Indies.
