Dressler, R.L. 1971. El complejo de Encyclia fragrans en los países andinos. Orquideología 6(4): 195-203.

Abstract. The complex of species which resemble Encyclia fragrans (included in Epidendrum by many authors) all have much the same aspect, and there has been much confusion about their identity. The species long known as Epidendrum pentotis Reichenbach was first described, by Reichenbach himself, as Epidendrum baculus, and the correct name is thus Encyclia baculus. Similarly, the species well known as Ep. ionophlebium is correctly Encyclia chacaoensls. Encyclia fragrans was based on a plant from Jamaica. The Jamaican plants (Encyclia fragrans subspecies fragrans) are robust plants with rather slender pseudobulbs and flower from the mature pseudobulb. The plants of central and eastern Panama, northern South America and the Amazon basin (Encyclia fragrans subspecles aemula) have shorter pseudobulbs (usually ovoid) and flower from the new growth, before the pseudobulb has developed. Encyclia chlmborazoensls Is very similar to E. fragrans ssp. fragrans, but Its coexistence with E. fragrans ssp. aemula In central Panama indicates that it is a distinct species. The sepals and petals of E. chlmborazoensls are spotted with purple. The common "Epidendrum fragrans" of central Colombia proves to be Encyclia venezuelana. which is easily distinguished by the narrow base of the lip, and is very different from the true E. fragrans of northern South America in its narrow pseudobulbs and in flowering from the mature pseudobulb Encyclia lambda (syn. E. rueckerae) has been collected only a few times, and may be a natural hybrid of E. baculus and E. chacaoensls.

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