Eulophia terrestris

Chase, Mark W., Schuiteman, André & Kumar, Pankaj, 2021, Expansion of the orchid genus Eulophia (Eulophiinae; Epidendroideae) to include Acrolophia, Cymbidiella, Eulophiella, Geodorum, Oeceoclades and Paralophia, Phytotaxa 491 (1), pp. 47-56 : 53

Eulophia terrestris (L.) M.W.Chase, Kumar & Schuit., comb. nov.

Basionym: Epidendrum terrestre L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1246 (1759).

Homotypic synonyms: Epidendrum tuberosum L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 1352 (1763), nom. superfl. Phaius terrestris (L.) Ormerod, Austral. Orchid Rev. 59: 14 (1994). Geodorum terrestre (L.) Garay, Harvard Pap. Bot. 2: 47 (1997).

Heterotypic synonym: Geodorum citrinum Andrews, Bot. Repos. 10: t. 626 (1811).

Notes: Epidendrum terrestre was lectotypified by Ormerod (1994) with the image referenced by Linnaeus, which is Rumphius, Herb.Amb. 6: t. 52, fig. 1 (1750), whereas a few years later Garay (1997) selected an actual specimen in Linnaeus’ herbarium as the lectotype. This specimen clearly belongs to Geodorum . The two lectotypes represent different genera but Linnaeus’ brief description mentions a boat-shaped lip (‘nectario cymbiformi’), which only conforms with Geodorum , not with the species illustrated by Rumphius (now called Calanthe amboinensis ( Blume, 1856: 180) Chase, Christenh. & Schuiteman (2020: 161)) . Since the shape of the lip is the only diagnostic character in Linnaeus’ description (which, contrary to Ormerod’s assertion does not contain elements referring to Spathoglottis ), the typification by Ormerod must be rejected as it is in serious conflict with the protologue (Art. 9.19 of the Shenzhen Code). We agree with Ormerod (2017: 371) that Geodorum citrinum is a later synonym of the species lectotypified by Garay.