Orchid Species: Epidendrum circinatum

ORIGIN: Found in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia at elevations around 300 to 1000 meters.

DESCRIPTION: Medium to large sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with terete at the base, compressed above stems enveloped in youth by amply loose, appressed sheaths and carrying 2 to 3, approximate, jointed, oblong to elliptic-oblong, coriaceous, bilobed apically, obliquely ascending leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, complanate, alate, to 9.2" [to 23 cm] long, to 13 flowered inflorescence subtended by conduplicate sheaths with decurrent keels. The syn E concavilabium - Colombia seems by the photo and drawing available in Orquideas de la Serrania del Baudo to be substantially different, not only in the non curled lateral sepals and petals but in the shape of the lip which has no central folding, no erose margins and is much more bowl-like. More study needs to be done. This species is found at low elevations in primary forest and has medium sized, flattened stem completely enveloped by clasping sheaths many carrying liner, coriaceous, bilobed apically, conduplicate and clasping basally leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, erect, flattened inflorescence enveloped completely by imbricate, acute floral bracts from which the rigid, coriaceous, waxy, 1" [2.5 cm], wide open, racemose flowers, arise showing only the flower, with the ovary hidden.

FLOWER SIZE: 0.6 to 7/8 inches [1.4 to 2.2 cm] -- information provided by Jay Pfahl, author of the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia (IOSPE).

Most awarded/recent cultivars: Epi. circinatum 'Woodstream' (2003)