Glossorhyncha grandilabella

Glossorhyncha grandilabella P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 645, fig. 228

Type: Kalkman 4835 (holo L)

Spreading-pendent, much branched epiphytic herb up to 50 cm long. Stems terete, glabrous. Leaf suberect, subcoriaceous, glabrous, oblong-ovate, 1.5-4.2 by 0.2-0.6 cm, unequally 2-tipped, both tips obtuse or rounded, mid-rib shallowly grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 3-5 on either side, branched and thus seemingly up to 11 nerves in entire blade, flat above, slightly prominent below; sheaths scattered warty mainly along ribs, tubular, 0.5-1.8 cm long, ribbed, along apical margin with scattered bristles, each warty. Spathe with few warts only .mainly on the ribs, oblong-obovoid, 0.7 by 0.3 cm, rounded, few-nerved. Floral bract similar to outer but thinner, 1-nerved only, glabrous. Ovary glabrous, clavate, 0.85 cm long, 3-sided and 3-ribbed, each rib double. Flowers sweet scented. Median sepal glabrous, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 1.05 by 0.35 cm, obtuse, conoid-apiculate, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts. Lateral sepals glabrous, connate along lower margin near spur only, oblong-ovate, 1.03 by 0.3 cm, obtuse, conoid-apiculate, slightly obliquely widened at base, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts. Petals glabrous, elliptic-obovate, 1 by 0.35 cm, obtuse, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts. Lip adnate to base of column, free part ovate-cordate, 0.6 by 0.9 cm, slightly 3-lobed, rounded, glabrous; spur glabrous, subulate 0.8 cm long, flattened and 2-lobed at tip. Column short and straight, 0.2 by 0.15 by 0.15 cm, clinandrium crenulate. Anther cucullate, 0.1 by 0.12 by 0.1 cm, retuse, base 2-lobed, connective at base umbonate. Pollinia 4, pyriform, 0.05 cm long. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1979).

Colours: Flowers greenish white, lip green.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 3100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: July.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-43M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.

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