Aglossorhyncha serrulata

Aglossorhyncha serrulata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 321

Type: Schlechter 17771; s.n. (XI-1908, Bismarck Mts) (B, lost)

Epiphyte, erect, up to 20 cm high, not or sparsely branched; rhizome long decumbent, elongated, covered with closely appressed, overlapping sheaths; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous; stems erect, usually unbranched, very densely leafy, straight, entirely covered by the leaf-sheaths; leaves erect-patent, ligulate, apex oblique, subacute, margin towards the apex serrulate, glabrous, thin-textured, 3-5 cm long, near the middle 0.5-0.9 cm wide; sheaths closely appressed, somewhat compressed, apical margin entire, up to 1 cm long. Flowers solitary at the apices of the stems, glabrous. Sepals elliptic, acuminate. Median sepal 1.8 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, 1.6 cm long. Petals oblique, narrowly ligulate, acuminate, about as long as the median sepal. Lip clasping the column, when not flattened in outline oblong, acuminate, inside with 3 thickened median nerves, 1.1 cm long, near the middle (not flattened) 0.4 cm wide. Column slender, almost straight, towards the apex dilated, glabrous, 0.9 cm long, clinandrium 4-lobed, lobes with irregularly serrulate margins, the anterior lobes rounded, half as long as the posterior lobes. Ovary subcylindrical, glabrous, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)

Colours: Flower light yellow (type), or greenish white with darker green lip.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2000 m.

Flowering time in the wild: March, May.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 23-13M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

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