Appendicula pendula

Appendicula pendula Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 298

Type: Blume s.n. (Buitenzorg); (Bantam); (Tjanjor). Syntype specimens in L, without localities, labelled by Blume; isosyn K)

An epiphytic herb. Stems slender, up to 40 cm long, leafy. Leaves distichous, lanceolate, acute, minutely apiculate, 2-2.5 by 0.4-0.6 cm, thin-textured, sheathing at base. Inflorescence terminal or lateral, pendulous, up to 7 cm long, several-flowered. Floral bracts reflexed. Median sepal ovate, 0.4 by 0.2 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, 0.4 by 0.3 cm. Petals ovate, obtuse, 0.3 by 0.15 cm. Lip oblong, narrowed at base, 0.5 by 0.2-0.25 cm, the apex slightly expanded, reflexed, the disc with 2 longitudinal callus ridges converging at base. Column 0.3 cm long. (After Lewis and Cribb, 1991).

Colours: Flowers creamy-white to pale yellow-green with a red spot on either side of the mid-lobe.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest in shaded positions. Altitude 900 m.

Flowering time in the wild: Not known

Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea, The Philippines), Thailand, Solomon Islands, Fiji.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 57-152M.JPG

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, keep in shade.

Note: Whether the true Appendicula pendula occurs in New Guinea requires confirmation.

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