Didymoplexis pallens

Didymoplexis pallens Griff., Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 4 (1844) (383), fig. 17(b):1-8

Type: Griffith s.n. (India, Calcutta, Serampore) (holo CAL)

Leafless terrestrial. Flowering stem to c. 20 tall, up to 20-flowered, but only one or two flowers open at a time. Median sepal 1.2 cm long, concave. Lateral sepals connate in basal half, rounded. Petals connate to the median sepal for about 0.3 cm, the free parts 0.4 cm long, 0.55 cm wide. Lip entire, with erect side-margins which just clasp the column, in front truncate with rounded corners, 0.7 by 1.3 cm. Column strongly curved, c. 0.6 cm long. (After Comber, 2001).

Colours: Stem pale brown. Flower pure white with a yellow spot on the front margin.

Habitat: Terrestrial in forest.

Flowering time in the wild: Not known

Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, ?New Guinea, The Philippines), India, Australia, Vanuatu.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 227-19M.JPG

Cultivation: Terrestrial, probably parasitic on fungi and probably impossible to grow under normal conditions.

Note: Differs from the other two New Guinea species of Didymoplexis by the lip being much broader than long (when flattened).

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