Epidendrum alejandrinae (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae), a new species from the high Andean forests of central Peru Author Quispe-Melgar, Harold Rusbelth 0000-0001-6676-0879 Programa de Investigación de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Asociación ANDINUS, Calle Miguel Grau 370, Sicaya, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & Universidad Continental, Av. San Carlos 1980, urbanización San Antonio, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & rusbeltharold @ gmail. com, hquispem @ continental. edu. pe; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6676 - 0879 hquispem@continental.edu.pe Author Llacua-Tineo, Yashira Stefani 0000-0002-1556-738X Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Avenida Mariscal Castilla 3909, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & yashirallacua @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1556 - 738 X yashirallacua@gmail.com Author Ames-Martínez, Fressia Nathalie 0000-0003-2840-3154 Programa de Investigación de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Asociación ANDINUS, Calle Miguel Grau 370, Sicaya, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & Universidad Continental, Av. San Carlos 1980, urbanización San Antonio, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & fressiames @ gmail. com, fames @ continental. edu. pe; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 2840 - 3154 fames@continental.edu.pe Author Huayta, David 0000-0002-8462-558X Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Avenida Mariscal Castilla 3909, Huancayo, Junín, Perú. & huaytahinojosa @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 8462 - 558 X huaytahinojosa@gmail.com Author Poma, Katherine Lucero Lagones 0000-0002-9664-6994 Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Perú. & lagonespoma @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 9664 - 6994 lagonespoma@gmail.com Author Hágsater, Eric 0000-0002-2371-9427 Herbario AMO, Montañas Calizas 490, Miguel Hidalgo, CDMX, 11000, México. & erichag _ 1 @ msn. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 2371 - 9427 erichag_1@msn.com text Phytotaxa 2022 2022-03-29 541 3 217 224 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.541.3.1 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.541.3.1 afcc51a2-53fa-44f7-938b-66337e347301 1179-3163 6392569 Epidendrum alejandrinae Hágsater & H.R.Quispe , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 , 3 ) TYPE : Peru . Huancavelica Region : Tayacaja Province , Andaymarca District ; Sune locality, 3900 m , semi humid high Andean Forest , epiphyte on Gynoxys sp . , 29 August 2021 , H . R . Quispe 125 ( holotype HOXA ). FIGURE 3. Epidendrum alejandrinae . A, B. Habit and complete plant. C. Flowers. D, E. Habitat. Photographs by Katherine Lucero Lagones Poma ( A and D ) and Harold Rusbelth Quispe-Melgar ( B, C and E ). FIGURE 4. Comparison of species similar to E. alejandrinae . Plates B–D were adapted from Icones Orchidacearum ( Hágsater 2004 ; Collantes & Hágsater 2015 ; Hágsater 2016 ). A. E. alejandrinae . B. E. ochoae . C. E. aida-alvareziae . D. E. pachydiscum . Illustrators: A : Daniel Galarza. B : Benjamín Collantes. C–D : Rolando Jiménez. Similar to Epidendrum ochoae but the flowers green, concolor (vs. flowers yellow-green, irregularly tinged with purple dots), sepals 8.7–9.0 mm long (vs. 6.5 mm long), and the lip with elongate calli, thick (vs. ellipsoid, laterally compressed), parallel (somewhat divergent), relatively small, 1.7 × 0.7 mm (vs. calli prominent). Epiphytic, sympodial, caespitose, pendent herb , ca. 30 cm long. Roots 3 mm in diameter. Rhizome short, 1 cm long. Stems 2.0–3.2 × 1.0 cm, aggregate, short, green, thickened into an ovoid pseudobulb. Leaves 3, articulate; 2 produced from basal and middle internodes and one from the apex of pseudobulb; blade 8.0–12.0 × 1.0– 1.6 cm , lanceolate, coriaceous, green, margin entire, crenate towards the apex. Spathe lacking. Inflorescence 8.0–12.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm , apical, from mature stem, pendulous, flowers successive, ca. 10 flowers open at a time, pendent; peduncle 3.5–4.5 cm long, laterally compressed, ancipitose, straight, with nodes at base and 1 bract 1.5 cm long; rachis terete, straight and sulcate. Floral bracts 8–10 mm long, 1/2 the length of the ovary, triangular, long-acuminate, dorsally granulose, yellow with irregular lighter yellow dots. Ovary clavate 13.0 × 0.6–3.0 mm, furrowed, with a small ventral swollen vesicle at the apex. Flowers 15–25, successive, opening from base towards apex of inflorescence, resupinate, green, concolor; fragrance not registered. Sepals partly spreading, free, margin entire; dorsal sepal 9.0 × 3.6 mm , oblong-elliptic, minutely mucronate; lateral sepals 8.7 × 3.3 mm , elliptic-oblong, acute, with a prominent dorsal keel, 3-veined. Petals 7.0 × 1.1 mm , partly spreading, arching forward in natural position, linear-oblanceolate, sub-obtuse, 1-veined, margin entire, spreading. Lip 6.7 × 10 mm , adnate to column, 3-lobed, transversely cordiform-elliptic in outline, convex, base somewhat cordate, distal margins erose-denticulate; bicallose, calli elongate, parallel, 1.7 × 0.7 mm , separated by a thick mid-rib, disc with 3 parallel, broad and very low ribs, mid-rib reaching apical sinus, lateral ribs in front of calli ending at base of mid-lobe; lateral lobes 3.0 × 4.8 mm , widely dolabriform; mid-lobe 2.0 × 4.4 mm , widely cuneate, apex emarginate. Column 5.6 × 3.4 × 3.2 mm , short, thick, obcuneate, apex forming an obtuse angle with lateral wings. Clinandrium-hood short, margin entire. Rostellum apical, slit. Lateral lobes of stigma small, in a small stigmatic cavity. Nectary penetrating 1/4 of pedicellate ovary, unornamented, forming a somewhat widened vesicle behind perianth. Anther transversely ellipsoid, apex emarginate, front papillose, brown with sides cream-colored, 4-celled. Pollinia 4, obovoid, laterally compressed; caudicles soft and granulose, as long as pollinia; viscarium semi-liquid. Capsule 39 × 17 mm ; pedicel 7 × 1.5–5 mm , conical; body 27 × 17 mm , ellipsoid; apical neck 5 × 3.5 mm , thin.