Encyclia alboxanthina Fowlie (1990a: 27)

Bastos, Cláudia A., Meneguzzo, Thiago E. C. & Berg, Cássio Van Den, 2018, A taxonomic revision of the Brazilian species of Encyclia (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Epidendreae), Phytotaxa 342 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

2. Encyclia alboxanthina Fowlie (1990a: 27) . Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Mucugê, Serra do Sincorá National Park , 15 November 1989, F.D. R. 89 B10 (holotype: UC, photograph!) ( Figs. 5 , 24C ) .

Lithophyte herbs, occasionally terrestrial in sand, 20.0−40.0 cm tall. Pseudobulbs conical, 5.4−10.0 × 1.2−2.0 cm. Leaves 2−4, oblanceolate, 15.7−29.1 × 1.0−2.0 cm, obtuse to acute. Inflorescence a densely 9−30-flowered, compound raceme; peduncle 21.7−35.5 cm long; rachis 9.2−17.0 cm long. Flowers with pedicel 2.7−3.2 × 0.3 cm, warty; sepals lime green, dorsal lanceolate, 2.1−2.2 × 0.9 cm, laterals lanceolate, 2.1−2.2 × 0.7−1.0 cm, reflexed, margin entire, apex mucronate; petals lime green, spatulate, 2.0−2.2 × 1.0− 1.3 cm, reflexed, margin entire, apex mucronate; lip with claw 0.15−0.20 × 0.40 cm, lateral lobes free from the midlobe, oblong, 1.0−1.2 × 0.4−0.6 cm, white, at about a 90° angle to midlobe (in the flattened lip), not overlapping it, margin entire, apex obtuse, midlobe rounded, 0.9 × 1.2−1.4 cm, white lightly streaked with pink, sinuous, margin undulate, apex emarginate, callus cymbiform, apex of the callus acute; column clavate, 1.0−1.2 × 0.5 cm, clinandrium apex tridentate, lateral teeth triangular, apex acute, arms of the column oval to quadrate, c. 0.2 × 0.2 cm, apex obtuse; stigma obtriangular, with basal hooks; anther one, yellow, c. 0.3 × 0.4 cm.

Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to Brazil, often cited as endemic to Chapada Diamantina , Bahia ( Toscano de Brito & Cribb 2005), where it grows as a lithophyte. However, Monteiro et al. (2012) indicated its occurrence in Serra de Itabaiana, Sergipe State ( Fig. 4 ), as confirmed by many older collections. There, it occurs in rocky outcrops at about 600 m and also in sand at lower elevations.

Phenology:— Flowering all year.

Etymology:— A reference to the colour of the lip midlobe, which is white (albus), contrasting with a yellow centre and greenish yellow petals and sepals (xanthinus).

Taxonomic notes:— Encyclia alboxanthina is similar to E. osmantha , but differs in possessing a lip with rounded midlobe and oblong lateral lobes, whereas in E. osmantha the midlobe is deltoid with ovate laterals. Sometimes it has also been confused with E. oncidioides , but the latter has brownish flowers with vinaceous dots, a white lip densely streaked with purple with the midlobe rounded or cordate, emarginate or uncinate at the apex, whereas the flowers of E. alboxanthina are lemon green with a rounded white lip with a few pink streaks..

Withner (2000) has erroneously considered this species as a synonym of E. pachyantha , which has a conical lip midlobe and a different distribution in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. Encylia alboxanthina grows in xeric habitats on rock outcrops in campos rupestres of Chapada Diamantina , northeastern Brazil, and in sandy habitats near the sea.

Selected specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Abaíra, between Catolés− Lagoinha , 16 December 2003, Oliveira et al. 266 ( HUEFS) ; Andaraí, Volta da Pedra farm, 9 November 1997, Guedes et al. 5512 ( ALCB) ; Barra da Estiva, west of the road Barra da Estiva− Ituaçu , 1300−1500 m, 24 March 1980, Harley, 20914 ( CEPEC, K, SPF) ; Ibicoara, exit of town toward Cachoeira do Buracão , 1023 m, 18 November 2006, Silva-Castro et al. 1034 ( HUEFS) ; Jacobina, Serra do Tombador , 915 m, 28 April 2012, Vieira et al. 93 ( ALCB) ; Lençóis, Tanquinho , 25 May 2008, Queiroz 2776 ( HRB) ; Morro do Chapéu, Morrão , 1271 m, 17 November 2008, Bastos 252 ( HUEFS) ; Mucugê, Parque

Municipal de Mucugê , 18 October 2002, Azevedo 159 ( HUEFS) ; Palmeiras, Mucugezinho , 17 March 2007, Neves 180 ( HUEFS) ; Piatã , 2 March 1982, Seidel 1381 ( HB) ; Pindobaçu, Serra da Paciência , 1000 m, May 2001, Jesus et al. 1358 ( ALCB, CEPEC, HRB, HUEFS) ; Ruy Barbosa, Serra do Orobó, 11 November 2004, van den Berg 1432 ( HUEFS) ; Seabra, Serra do Bebedor to 40 km of Seabra, 1090 m, 15 November 1983, Bautista 1341 ( ALCB, CEPEC, GUA, HRB, INPA, MBM, MG, RB) ; Senhor do Bonfim, Serra Santana , 650−900 m, 26 December 1984, Silva et al. 7620 ( K, SPF) ; Sento Sé, Minas do Mimoso , 980 m, 6 March 1974, Harley 16853 ( CEPEC, HB, K, RB) ; Vitória da Conquista, Baixio do Arroz farm, 1014 m, 6 December 2005, Leitão s.n. ( VIC 31026 ) . Sergipe: Areia Branca, Serra de Itabaiana , 20 January 1983, Carneiro 484 ( ASE, HUEFS) ; Itabaiana , 2 January 2009, Santos et al. 7 ( UB) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution in Brazil of Encyclia advena, E. alboxanthina, E. andrichii, E. argentinensis, E. auyantepuiensis, E. bicalhoi and E. bohnkiana.

FIGURE 5. A−G. Encyclia advena. A. Dorsal sepal. B. Lateral sepal. C. Petal. D. Lip. E. Detail lip callus. F. Column in front view. G. Column in side view (Schimidt s.n. SP 52151). H−O. Encyclia alboxanthina. H. Habit (Azevedo 159). I. Dorsal sepal. J. Lateral sepal. K. Petal. L. Lip. M. Detail lip callus. N. Column front view. O. Column side view (Bastos 89). P−Z. Encyclia andrichii. P. Dorsal sepal. Q. Lateral sepal. R. Petal. S. Lip. T. Detail of lip callus. U. Column in front view. V. Column in side view (Meneguzzo 473). W. Variation in the lip (Bastos 176). X. Variation in the lip (Bastos 289). Y. Variation in the lip (Meneguzzo 567). Z. Variation in the lip (Bastos 319). Illustration by Carla de Lima.

FIGURE 24. A. ×Catyclia ×intermedia. B. Encyclia advena. C. Encyclia alboxanthina. D. Encyclia andrichii. E. Encyclia argentinensis. F.Encyclia auyantepuiensis. G. Encyclia bohnkiana. H. Encyclia bracteata. I. Encyclia bragancae. J. Encyclia chapadensis. K. Encyclia chloroleuca. L. Encyclia conchaechila. M. Encyclia cyperifolia. (Photographers: A: A. Peres Júnior. B, D−E, G−J: C. van den Berg. C: U.C.S. Silva. F: E. Pessoa. K−L: T.E.C. Meneguzzo).