Encyclia granitica (Lindl.) Schlechter (1919: 74)

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

20. Encyclia granitica (Lindl.) Schlechter (1919: 74) . Basionym: Epidendrum graniticum Lindley (1841: 83) .

Type :— GUYANA. No locality, 1840, Schomburgk 195 (holotype: K 583899 !; isotype: BM 47557!, BM 47556!, LE,

OXF, U) ( Figs. 14 , 25G ).

Heterotypic synonym:

Encyclia dasilvae Castro Neto & Campacci (2000: 54) . Type :— BRAZIL. Pará : Moju, Lusu River, 23 May 1999, Silva 887 (holotype: MG 157069 !; syntype: SP 360194!; paratype: SP 339146 !).

Lithophytic, occasionally epiphytic herbs, 26.2−38.6 cm tall. Pseudobulbs conical, 6.2−9.3 × 0.7−1.8 cm. Leaves 2, oblanceolate, 22.5−29.3 × 0.8−1.1 cm, apex acute. Inflorescence a densely 18–24-flowered compound raceme; peduncle 43.1−46.5 cm long; rachis 32.6−33.7 cm long. Floral pedicel 1.8 × 0.3 cm, warty; sepals green with pink spots, dorsal lanceolate, 1.6−1.8 × 0.5−0.6 cm, laterals lanceolate, 1.6−1.8 × 0.4−0.5 cm, reflexed, margin entire, apex acute; petals green with pink spots, spatulate, 1.4−1.7 × 0.6−0.7 cm, reflexed, margin undulate, apex acute; lip with claw 0.15−0.25 × 0.10−0.20 cm, lateral lobes free relative to midlobe, 0.7−1.0 × 0.4 cm, white, at about a 90° angle to midlobe (in the flattened lip), not overlapping it, margin undulate apically, apex obtuse, midlobe rounded, 0.5−0.7 × 0.6−0.9 cm, white with few pink streaks, conduplicate, margin undulate, apex mucronate to uncinate, callus cymbiform, acute; column clavate, 0.7−1.0 × 0.3 cm, clinandrium apex tridentate, lateral teeth short horn-like, apex premorse, arms of the column elliptic to quadrate, 0.20 × 0.15−0.22 cm, apex obtuse; stigma elliptic to triangular, with basal hooks; anther one, yellow, 0.20 × 0.20−0.25 cm.

Distribution and habitat:— A common species growing on rocks in Guyana and Venezuela (Carnevali et al. 1994), occurring also in French Guyana ( Sambin & Chiron 2015) and Suriname ( Withner 2000, Govaerts et al. 2013). In Brazil, it has broad northern distribution in the Amazon Rainforest, especially in the east ( Fig. 13 ).

Phenology:— Flowering all year.

Etymology:— Probably a reference to the granitic rocks on which the species was collected.

Taxonomic notes:— Encyclia granitica has been confused with E. oncidioides (with which it has been synonymised even by Lindley after its original description). However, E. granitica occurs only on rocks in the Brazilian north, whereas E. oncidioides has a broader distribution in Brazil, most commonly as an epiphyte and occasionally terrestrially. Moreover, E. granitica has green petals and sepals with pink spots, whereas in E. oncidioides these are yellowish with pink markings or completely greenish. The lip in E. granitica has faint pink streaks, whereas in E. oncidioides it is densely striped with pink.

Encyclia dasilvae was published as being similar to E. granitica , with the main differences being the size of the plants with short rhizomes. The flowers were described as smaller with smaller lateral lobes compared to E. granitica . The authors also indicated that the margins of the petals and sepals of E. dasilvae are simple, whereas they are undulate in E. granitica . However, we consider these characters insufficient to consider E. granitica and E. dasilvae as separate species because we found broad overlap of these characters even among specimens from Pará, the location of the type of E. dasilvae . Furthermore, the plants of the two supposed species sometimes occur together and flower at the same time. In this manner, it is possible to find in the same population plants that correspond to both concepts flowering simultaneously, and it is likely that the small plants assigned to E. dasilvae are due to some genetic polymorphism within populations of E. granitica . Also, this range of size variation involved is common among other species of the genus.

Selected specimens examined: BRAZIL. Amapá: Calçoene, BR 156, 10 December 1984, Mori, et al. 17351 (MG); Macapá, along the Porto Platon-Macapá road, 18 September 1961, Pires et al. 51099 (IAN, K, RB); Oiapoque, Oiapoque River, Cachoeira Anaua, 74 m, 11 August 1960, Irwin et al. 47421 (HB, MG, K, SP); Porto Grande, Capam Farm, 3 December 1976, no collector (ESA 26549). Maranhão: Maracaçumé, 20 November 1932, Froes 1998 (P). Pará: Acará, Guajará River, 25 September 1964, Oliveira 3154 (IAN); Belém, Belém South, 14 August 1986, Croat 62155 (MG, MO); Bragança, road of iron, 16 June 1952, Fróes 28460 (IAN); Castanhal, 5 May 1994, Silva 31 (MG); Igarapé-Açu, 24 December 1993, Magalhães s.n. (MG 147815); Irituia, 2 July 1995, Silva & Silva 425 (MG); Maracanã, Maiandeua Island, 26 October 2000, Costa et al. 108 (MG); Marapanim, Marudá Village, 16 June 1991, Bastos et al. 1045 (MG); Ourém, Batuíra farm, 1 May 1994, Silva 304 (MG); Salinópolis, Marieta beach, 25 October 2005, Rocha et al. 321 (MG); Tucuruí, air force reserve, 19 August 1980, Braga 3604 (INPA); Vigia, Campina do Palha, 20 March 1991, Silva & Silva 100 (MG). Roraima: Monte Roraima, July 1895, Quelch & McConnell 279 (K); Mucajaí, 50 km south of Boa Vista, September 2003, Bianchetti 1721 (CEN). GUYANA. Massan Rupuruni: no date, Graham 553 (K); Dutch, Courantyne River, 9 January 1936, Myus 5975 (K). No locality, 1840, Talbet s.n. (K); no locality, 1898, Thurn s.n. (K); no locality, no date, Martin s.n. (BM 47541); no locality, October 1889, Jenman 5916 (K); no locality, December 1897, Jenman 7295 (K); no locality, September 1892, Jenman 6354 (K). FRENCH GUIANA. Arataye: Nauragues Mountains, October 1989, Larpin 692 (P); Cayenne, 28 August 1985, Prevost & Crenand 2033 (K, P); Emerillons, 20 September 1980, Cremers 6727 (P); Haute Crique de Armontabo, low Oiapoque, 21 February 1981, Granville 4344 (P); Mana, Trinité, 5 August 1981, Cremers 7430 (P); Maripa, Oiapoque River, 18 May 1976, Fily 45 (P); Maripasoula, 4 March 1999, Pignal 921 (P); Petit Mitaraka, 9 August 1972, Sastre 1623 (P); Petit Saut, 6 September 1996, Pignal. 394 (P); Trijonction-Mitaraka, Km 7,5, 6 August 1972, Sastre 1583 (P); Trois Sauts, 31 July 1975, Grenand 1098 (P); border Guyana-Brasil, 14 August 1972, Granville 1236 (P); Bakra Mountain, 3 October 1980, Granville 4115 (P); Nauragues Mountains, 1 December 1987, Sarthou 129 (P); Saint Marcel Mountains, 18 July 2002, Granville et al. 15325 (P); Approuague River, 12 September 1968, Oldeman 2806 (HB, P); Oiapoque River, 7 July 1969, Oldeman 2490 (P); no locality, 280 m, 31 August 1987, Granville et al. 9884 (INPA); no locality, 26 October 1968, Oldeman 1980 (P); no locality, no date, no collector (P 410789). SURINAME. Tumuc-Humac Mountains, 31 July 1993, Granville et al. 11911 (P); Ouarémapan, Mongo Mountains, 29 August 1972, Sastre 1776 (P); Saramarca, Headwaters River, 11 October 1944, Maguire 24928 (K); Wilhelmina Gebergte, 225 m, 8 July 1963, Maguire et al. 54000 (RB, K); no locality, 550−710 m, 30 September 1975, Lindeman et al. 598 (K); no locality, 17 July 1955, Schulz 7241 (K); no locality, 1843, Hortmann 792 (P); no locality, 1843, Hostmann s.n. (K); no locality, no date, Hort 792 (W); no locality, no date, Kappler 792 (W); no locality, no date, Splitgerber 213 (W). VENEZUELA. Bolivar: Imataca Mountains, 200−250 m, 12 December 1960, Steyermark 87987 (RB, SP).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution in Brazil of Encyclia gonzallezii, E. granitica, E. ionosma, E. jenischiana, E. joaosaiana, E. linearifolioides and E. mapuerae.

FIGURE 14. A−G. Encyclia gonzalezii. A. Dorsal sepal. B. Lateral sepals. C. Petal. D. Lip. E. Detail of lip callus. F. Column front view. G. Column side view (Bastos 298). H−P.Enyclia granitica. H. Inflorescence. I. Dorsal sepal. J. Lateral sepals. K. Petal. L. Lip. M. Detail of lip callus. N. Column front view. O. Column side view (Lima 6). P. Variation in the lip (Pena 502). Q. Variation in the lip (Rodrigues 207). R−W. Encyclia ionosma. R. Dorsal sepal. S. Lateral sepals. T. Petal. U. Lip. V. Column front view. W. Column side view (Bastos 305). Illustration by Carla de Lima.

FIGURE 25. A. Encyclia dichroma. B. Encyclia duveenii. C. Encyclia fimbriata. D. Encyclia fowliei. E. Encyclia gallopavina. F.Encyclia gonzalezii. G. Encyclia granitica. H. Encyclia ionosma. I. Encyclia jenischiana. J. Encyclia linearifolioides. K. Encyclia mapuerae. L. Encyclia oliveirana. (Photographers: A−B, D, F−L: C. van den Berg. C: R. V. Leitão. E: A. Peres Júnior).