Plants creeping to pendent, to 30 cm. Roots basal or from proximal branches, 0.5-1.5 mm. Stems 1, compressed distally, branched, to 23 cm. Leaves 2-8, near apex of stem; petiole 6-8 mm; blade lanceolate-elliptic, 2-lobed, 1-2.8 × 0.3-0.7 cm, leathery. Inflorescences from branches, distichous, imbricate, usually pendent, 10-17 mm; peduncle greater than 5 mm. Flowers 1-4, usually 3, with underside of lip always facing rachis, not resupinate, simultaneous, pale yellow, occasionally marked with reddish; dorsal sepals ovate, apex acute; lateral sepals obdolabriform, somewhat wider at base, 3-5.4 × 1.2-2.1 mm; petals linear-elliptic, somewhat falcate, 3-5.2 × 0.5-0.8 mm; lip triangular-ovate, 3-4 × 2-2.4 mm, base with pair of lamellae, apex acute to acuminate; column 2 mm, with prominent tooth on each side, 2 smaller ones distally; anther ovoid, 2-fid; ovary with small swollen vesicle underneath, behind lateral sepals, 4 mm, covered by conduplicate, subimbricating bracts, 6-7.5 mm. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 9-10 × 5-6 mm; pedicel and beak absent.
Flowering Oct--Nov, Mar. On smooth barked trees in and around cypress swamps and heads; 0--30 m; Fla.; Central America; South America.
Epidendrum strobiliferum grows throughout the Neotropics to Peru and Brazil.