Agrostophyllum graminifolium

Agrostophyllum graminifolium Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 266

Type: Schlechter 18594 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K)

Epiphytic, erect, up to 60 cm high. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stems up to 50 cm high, laxly leafy, compressed, entirely covered by the very long leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect, narrowly linear, apex acutely bilobulate or bicuspidate, up to 45 cm long, the upper ones much longer than the stem, in the middle 0.4-0.6 cm wide; leaf-sheaths very long, at the apex without teeth. Capitulum many-flowered, up to 2.5 cm across, enveloped by several acuminate sheaths. Peduncles short, entirely covered by a few imbricating scales, 1-flowered. Floral bract very small, apiculate, hyaline. Flowers erect. Sepals ovate-oblong, narrowly obtuse, glabrous, about 0.7 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, somewhat decurrent, at the base. Petals obliquely oblong, obtuse, glabrous, margins slightly undulate, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip in basal part saccate, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes inconspicuous, very short; mid-lobe much longer, subreniform, above the middle 3-lobulate, the lobules semiorbicular, margin minutely undulate, broadly obtuse, minutely apiculate, at the opening of the sac with a papillose-puberulous, oblong-quadrate, erect ligule which is tridentate at the apex, sac suborbicular, in front depressed, about 0.25 cm long. Column slightly thickened, in basal half swollen in front, below the stigma on both sides adorned with an acute, patent, fleshy callosity, in front with a fleshy, orbicular, decurved scale. Ovary cylindrical, sessile, glabrous, about 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).

Colours: Flower white with a golden yellow blotch in the centre of the lip.

Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1400-3040 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, February, May, September, October, December.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-45M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.

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