Ceratostylis minutiflora

Ceratostylis minutiflora Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16 (1919) 46

Type: McGregor s.n. (Mt. Musgrave, Papua)

Epiphytic, small, 7-8 cm high. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, flexuose, thin, glabrous. Stems crowded, at the base surrounded by a few short sheaths, terete, 1-leaved, 3-6 cm long, 0.15-0.18 cm diam. Leaf suberect, shortly subulate, acute, thinly grooved above, 1.5-2 cm long, 0.08-0.1 cm diam. Inflorescences few, fascicled at the stem apex, 1-flowered, at the base surrounded by triangular, acute, diaphanous sheaths; peduncle almost absent. Floral bracts ovate, acuminate, almost equalling the flower. Flower glabrous, except the ovary, erect. Sepals narrowly ovate, rather obtuse, 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, at the base along the front margins extended and connate; mentum obliquely oblongoid, scarcely 0.08 cm long. Petals obliquely lanceolate, acute, somewhat narrowed towards the base, almost as long as the sepals. Lip narrowly obovate-elliptic, gradually narrowed towards the base, in apical third carnose, scarcely more than 0.13 cm long, in basal third with two short, thin, decurrent, parallel keels. Column short; arms erect, concave, semi-oblong. Ovary thinly puberulous, pedicellate, 0.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1919).

Colours: Not recorded.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2100-2400 m.

Flowering time in the wild: Not known

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 125-97M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

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