Cadetia cyclopensis

Cadetia cyclopensis (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 91.

Basionym: Dendrobium cyclopense.

Roots to more than 7 cm long, 0.5-1 mm diameter. Rhizome very short. Pseudobulbs crowded, cylindrical, weakly 4-ribbed, 7-20 mm long, c. 2 mm diameter. Leaf linear-oblong to oblong, index 3.5-7, 1.1-2.2 cm by 2.5-4.5 mm, base cuneate to subpetiolate, apex obtuse, apiculate. Inflorescences terminal from the leaf axil and subterminal just below the abaxial side of the leaf; solitary, rarely 2 in succession from the same position, at the base with a 2-3 mm long tubular sheath. Peduncle 2-3 mm long. Ovary and pedicel 15-18 mm long, 3-winged, glabrous. Flower c. 1.3 cm across. Median sepal reflexed, ovate-oblong, 6-7.4 by 2.2-2.8 mm, acute, 4-5-nerved. Lateral sepals patent, oblong, slightly oblique, 6-7.6 by 2.2-3.2 mm, acute, 4-nerved; mentum cylindrical, incurved or rarely almost straight, 5.7-7.1 mm long, apical closed part 6-7 mm, swollen towards the apex. Petals porrect, broadly lanceolate, 5.4-6.7 by 1.4-2.9 mm, entire, acute, 3-nerved. Lip subspathulate, weakly 3-lobed, glabrous; hypochile 8.5-10.6 mm long, of which c. 0.5 mm fused with the column foot, c. 1.7 mm wide across the flattened lateral lobes; lateral lobes very small, narrowly triangular, 0.3-0.5 mm long, entire, subacute; midlobe ovate, 2.1-3.2 by 1.1-1.4 mm, entire, subacute to acute; callus oblong, glabrous, extending from the apex of the hypochile to halfway the midlobe, entire. Column 1.8-2.4 mm long, wings rectangular, obscurely bidentate, clinandrium entire, with a narrowly triangular median tooth; foot 5.7-7.1 mm long. Anther cucullate, c. 0.7 by 0.8 mm, base emarginate; apex truncate, pubescent-papillose; pollinia c. 0.8 mm long. Fruit not seen.

Colours: Flower white.

Habitat: Epiphyte on branches and tree trunks in lower montane oak forest. Altitude 800 to 1000 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June, October, November.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Sorong and Jayapura Regencies).

Map: CYCLOMAP.JPG [Cadetia cyclopensis (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., distribution map.]

Notes: Because of the thin, usually incurved spur-like mentum, Cadetia cyclopensis resembles Cadetia citrina. The latter may be distinguished by the petals being only about half as long as the dorsal sepal, the mentum not being swollen at the apex, and by the larger flowers. Cadetia imitans is also closely related, but in that species the mentum is straight and not swollen at the apex.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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