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green-fly orchid

Habit Plants cespitose, 4.5–38 cm.
Roots

basal, 3–5 mm diam.

Stems

unbranched, straight, terete, 2–5 cm.

Leaves

2–3, near apex of stem;

petiole to 1.5 cm;

blade narrowly elliptic, 1–9.5 × 0.4–1.3 cm, nearly leathery, apex acute.

Inflorescences

erect, racemose, 3–26 cm;

peduncle 2–10 cm;

bracts triangular, to 1/2 length of ovary, 12–18 mm, apex acuminate.

Flowers

6–14, spread along apical 1/2 of inflorescence, resupinate, simultaneous, pale green to bronze-colored;

sepals wide open, narrowly obovate, 5-veined, 6–11 × 2–3 mm, margins revolute, apex obtuse;

petals narrowly oblanceolate, 1-veined, 6–11 × 1–2 mm, apex rounded;

lip base cordate, 3-lobed, middle lobe triangular, apex rounded to slightly notched, 2-callose, with low midrib, 4–6 × 5–7 mm, lateral lobes semiorbiculate;

column 11–12 mm;

clinandrium hood erose, covering anther;

anther ovate, with low keel along front;

ovary 12–18 mm.

Capsules

ellipsoid;

pedicel 7–11 mm;

body 14–23;

beak 5 mm.

Epidendrum magnoliae

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jan, sporadically in fall; fruiting Oct–Jan.
Habitat Evergreen and deciduous woodlands
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; Mexico (Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

The flowers of Epidendrum magnoliae produce a sweet-oily fragrance, especially at night.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 611.
Parent taxa Orchidaceae > subfam. Epidendroideae > tribe Epidendreae > subtribe Laeliinae > Epidendrum
Sibling taxa
E. acunae, E. amphistomum, E. floridense, E. nocturnum, E. rigidum, E. strobiliferum
Synonyms Amphiglottis conopsea, E. conopseum, Larnandra conopsea, Larnandra magnoliae
Name authority Muhlenberg: Cat. Pl. Amer. Sept., 81. (1813)
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