Synonymy
Initially, European taxonomists applied the generic epithet Epidendrum to all newly discovered epiphytic orchids. Gradually, many of these "Epidendrums" were recognized as being quite diverse and deserving of different generic epithets—many belong to different tribes or subtribes (e.g. Vanda). To add to the confusion, however, many descriptions of closely related species were published with different generic epithets.
As if the confusion caused by these publications were not great enough, many closely related genera (or perhaps subgenera, sections, or subsections) have been recognized and published. According to the modern rules of taxonomy, each new proposed genus that is split off from Epidendrum must bear the name of the oldest generic epithet published for a member of the new genus. Hence, many genera which have been brought into synonymy with Epidendrum have later been segregated out again. Because most of these decisions rest on the informed opinions of authorities, the segregated taxa are often then re-published as synonyms. Hence, some of the following information may seem a bit contradictory, especially if the assertion that two names are "synonyms" is misconstrued as an assertion that the two names mean exactly the same thing.
The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Epidendrum:
- Amphiglottis
- Anacheilium
- Anocheile
- Auliza
- Coilostylis
- Didothion
- Diothonea
- Dothilophis
- Doxosma
- Epicladium
- Epidanthus
- Epidendropsis
- Exophya
- Hemiscleria
- Kalopternix
- Lanium
- Larnandra
- Microepidendrum (nom. inval.)
- Minicolumna (nom. inval.)
- Nanodes
- Neolehmannia
- Neowilliamsia
- Nyctosma
- Phadrosanthus
- Physinga
- Pleuranthium
- Pseudepidendrum
- Seraphyta
- Spathiger
- Stenoglossum
- Tritelandra .
Genera which have been erected (or resurrected) from Epidendrum include the following examples:
- Anacheilium 2004. This genus contains more than 50 species, reclassified from Prosthechea, Encyclia, and Epidendrum.
- Barkeria
- Dimerandra
- Caularthron
- Coilostylis
- Encyclia This is another "mega-genus" differing from Epidendrum in that the plants are mostly pseudobulbous, and in that the lip "encircles" the column, rather than being adnate. Like Epidendrum, genera have been and are likely to continue to be split off from this genus.
- Euchile 1998 was elevated from a section of Encyclia with two species.
- Hormidium, described by Brieger as having the lip adnate to the proximal part of the column. Brieger placed more than 100 species in this genus. (Lindley was unsure if this was a genus, subgenus, or section.) Withner and Harding recently transferred two more species into this genus: one from Epidendrum and one from Encyclia.
- Microepidendrum 2002
- Nanodes
- Oerstedella
- Oestlundia 2001
- Panarica 2004 contains six species, some from Prosthechea and some from Epidendrum
- Pollardia 2004 contains seventeen species, some from Prosthechea and some from Epidendrum.
- Prosthechea This debatable genus contains the "cockleshell orchids", with lips which are adnate to the column only about halfway to the apex, and which "encircle" the end of the column. Most of the species of this genus were long classified in Encyclia. Some species of this genus have been placed in Anacheilium 2004 and Panarica 2004.
- Pseudencyclia 2003
- Psichylus
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