Appearance
''E. rigidum'' has been placed in the subgenus ''E''. subg ''Epidendrum'' Lindl. because its sympodial stems do not thicken to form pseudobulbs, its stems are covered by the basal sheaths of its distichous leaves, and its peduncle emerges from the apical leaf without being covered by any bract or sheath. The basal parts of the stems unite to form a creeping rhizome; the upper parts grow to 20 cm long and can assume erect, horizontal, or hanging postures. The lathery ovate-oblong obtuse leaves are 3–8 cm long and apically bilobed. As with other members of ''E''. subsect. ''Spathacea'' Rchb.f. 1861, the racemose inflorescence bears enlarged spathaceous floral bracts. The green, non-resupinate, fleshy flowers are partially covered by the large, dolabriform bracts. The ovate obtuse sepals are 5 mm long, with the lateral sepals larger than the dorsal sepal. The linear petals are also 5 mm long. As with other members of the genus ''Epidendrum'', the lip is adnate to the column to its apex. The lip is heart-shaped where it diverges from the column, ovate, and obtuse at the apex.The diploid chromosome number of ''E. rigidum'' has been determined as 2''n'' = 40.
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