Appendicula furfuracea

Appendicula furfuracea J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 123

Type: Janowsky 62 (holo BO; iso L)

Stems closely spaced, unbranched, erect, 35 cm long, internodes 1-1.4 cm long. Leaves patent, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, slightly unequally obtusely bidentate, mucronate, the mucro a little longer than the teeth, margins entire, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, underneath furfuraceous-punctate, 4-6.5 by 0.9-1.2 cm wide; sheaths tubular, in cross-section elliptic, furfuraceous-punctate, a little longer than the internodes. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, simple, producing flowers for a long time, densely many-flowered, 3-5.5 cm long; rachis furfuraceous-punctate. Floral bracts persistent, reflexed, at the apex incurved, strongly concave, oblong, mostly obtuse, with three dorsally slightly prominent nerves, dorsally sparsely furfuraceous-punctate, 0.3 cm long. Flowers sparse, very small, 0.5 cm wide, 0.48 cm long. Sepals dorsally sparsely and coarsely, when dried black furfuraceous-punctate. Median sepal ovate, narrowed towards the apex, truncate-obtuse, concave, 3-nerved, 0.28 cm long, almost 0.2 cm wide. Lateral sepals divergent, at the base in front saccate-connate, strongly obliquely triangular, narrowed towards the apex, subobtuse, at the base strongly concave, 3-nerved, [free part] 0.28 cm long, in total 0.44 cm long, 0.25-0.27 cm wide at the base; mentum saccate, making an acute angle with the ovary, constricted at the base, dorsally compressed, almost rounded, dorsally slightly hollowed out, in front convex, 0.16 cm long and wide. Petals obliquely linear-oblong, obtuse or minutely apiculate, 1-nerved, 0.26 by 0.08 cm. Lip at the base saccate-adnate to the column-foot, with slightly more than the apical third part reflexed, 5-nerved, when flattened broadly rounded at the base, somewhat concave, in the middle on either side weakly lobulate-dilated; apical part triangular, obtuse, inside concave with a small callus below the apex; basal appendage horse shoe-shaped, carnose, ovate-triangular, obtuse, concave, shorter and much narrower than the claw, the arms in front parallel with the margins, decurrent and vanishing. Lip in total 0.4 cm long, 0.24 cm wide. Column making an obtuse angle with the ovary, 0.16 cm long; clinandrium deeply concave. Anther cordate, narrowed towards the apex, 0.13 cm long, apiculate and on either side with a shorter obtuse lobule. Pollinia 6, obliquely clavate. Rostellum porrect, triangular, underneath convex, bidentate. Stigma transverse. Column-foot making an acute angle with the ovary, oblong, 0.15 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, furfuraceous-punctate, 0.28 cm long. Fruit immature reflexed. (After Smith, 1916).

Colours: Flower white, lip yellow.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 80-90 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June, September.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia).

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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