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Odontoglossum lindleyanum
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Odontoglossum lindleyanum

Odontoglossum lindleyanum Rchb.f. & Warsz., Bonplandia (Hannover) 2: 99. 1854.

Type: Colombia. Norte de Santander: Pamplona, ca. 2800 m, J. Linden 1261 (holotype: K-L; isotypes: BR; W).

Illustrated specimen: Colombia. Santander: Municipality of La Belleza, edge of the forest, 2380 m. 15 July 2018. N. Gutiérrez M 110 (LCDP voucher).

Eponymy: The name honors the famous English orchidologist John Lindley (1790-1865).

Odontoglossum lindleyanum is a locally common, widespread and highly variable species, occurring in middle to upper elevation cloud forests throughout the Andes from Western Venezuela to central Peru. The flowers vary in size and coloration throughout the distribution but the general morphology is similar, the projecting teeth of the callus sometimes splits into four acute and more or less falcate, denticles. The considerable natural variation in size more than in the shape seems to be geographically restricted and it is debatable whether they should be treated as geographical forms, subspecies or actually vaguely distinct species. Due to the high degree of intermediate forms, however, it seems safer to keep them together as one variable “super-species” for the time being.