Habit: Encyclia caicensis grow as an epiphyte on plants and directly on limestone. It produces a very short rhizomatous stem that is covered with secondary stems that are expanded to form linear lanceolate pseudobulbs up to 15 cm in length and 5 cm in width. From the top of the pseudobulb 4 flattened linear lanceolate leaves emerge that are up to 60 cm in length and 3 cm wide.
The zygomorphic flowers are arranged in terminal open panicles up to 2 m in height and contains up to 60 flowers. The flowers have ovate-triangular bracts and the calyx has 3 greenish yellow to tan sepals. The corolla has 3 green to brown to reddish brown petals with lower central one forming the labellum. The sepals and petals turn reddish and develop stripes with age.
The labellum is white, with purple stripes, and 3 lobed. The central lobe is to 2 cm long. The 2 lateral lobes/auricles of the labellum are yellow white with radiating purple red lines at their base, erect and appressed/clasping to either side of the column. The central lobe of the labellum is yellow tan/white, with a round/undulate margin and red/purple stripes. The lower third of the labellum is fused to the column.
The column is formed from a fusion of the stamens and ovary into a single elongate structure. Along the base of the column between the lateral labellum lobes is a white callus plate with 2 ridges/keels that unite at the front edge with 2 yellow anther lobes.
The ovary is inferior. The fruit is a capsule at maturity up to 3 cm in length that opens along six suture lines and hangs pendulant, allowing wind to assist in seed dispersal.
Habitat: Encyclia caicensis grows in open Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Shrublands/Dwarf Shrublands (low open coppice).
Distribution: Encyclia caicensis is endemic to the Lucayan Archipelago known only to Great and Little Inagua and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: While there are no medicinal uses of Encyclia caicensis like all orchids they are prized for their beautiful flowers.
ALL orchids are protected internationally by the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and should not be collected from the wild.
Encyclia caicensis is listed by the IUCN as Endangered (EN) under criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii).
Williams, S., Clubbe, C. & Hamilton, M. 2012. Encyclia caicensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T16726345A16726734.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T16726345A16726734.en
Additional populations have been observed on Great and Little Inagua since Encyclia caicensis was evaluated in 2012 and maybe need to be re-assessed.