Appendicula nivea

Appendicula nivea (Schltr.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 343

Basionym: Podochilus niveus

Roots elongated, filiform, glabrous. Stems pendulous to patent, not or sparsely branching, 20-40 cm long, many-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, linear to narrowly linear, 1-3 by 1-2 cm, apex with a minute bristle-like mucro. Inflorescence terminal, racemose, suberect to patent, flexuose, laxely 4-10-flowered. Floral bracts erect-patent, minute, oblong, much shorter than the ovary, apex acute. Pedicel and ovary 0.2 cm long, subcylindric. Flowers c. 0.6 cm long. Dorsal sepal ovate, 0.25 cm long, apex narrowly obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate, 0.25 cm by 4 mm, mentum obtuse. Petals narrowly obliquely oblong-ligulate, a little shorter than the dorsal sepal, apex obtuse. Lip from an oblong base slightly widened in apical half, 0.4 cm long, with a ligulate basal appendage of which the apex is recurved and which is widened towards the middle, having gradually decurrent margins, with a minute, oblong apical callus, margins of lip undulate, apex rounded, narrowly obtuse. Column short, rostellum erect, triangular, emarginate; column-foot long. Anther ovate-cordate, apex truncate, bidentate. Pollinia 6; caudicle single, concave; viscidium minute, oblong.
(After Schlechter, 1905, as Podochilus niveus Schltr.).

Colours: Flower pure white.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: April.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 57-139M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)