Glomera sublaevis

Glomera sublaevis J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 275

Type: Gjellerup 519 (iso L)

Stems elongated, branched, rooting, in the basal part subterete, above laterally compressed, in cross-section elliptic, smooth, 90 cm long, to 0.45 cm. diam. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, 3.75-8 by 0.5-1.15 cm, gradually narrowed, strongly unequally bidentate, with one tooth very short, the other linear 1.25-1.5 cm long, margins in the apical part irregularly crenulate, above on either side of the mid-rib convex, entirely furfuraceous-punctate, carnose, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below; sheaths tubular, in cross-section elliptic, at the apex with a broadly triangular tooth opposite the blade, transversely rugulose, not warty, when dried slightly warty, furfuraceous-punctate, 0.35-0.5 cm. wide. Inflorescence nodding, dense, c. 12-21-flowered, semiglobose, somewhat elongated, 1.4-2.2 cm diam. Lower spathe largest, surpassing the flowers, orbicular-ovate, long acuminate, sometimes conduplicate-acuminate, acute, concave, furfuraceous-punctate, 1.7-1.8 by 0.8-1.1 cm. Floral bracts large, appressed, clasping the flower except the apex, ovate or elliptic, apiculate, strongly concave, 4-nerved, thinly membranous, 0.9-1 cm long. Flowers 0.73 cm wide, slightly over 1 cm long. Median sepal ovate, obtuse, slightly convex, 5-nerved, 0.73 cm long, 0.43 cm: wide. Lateral sepals 5-nerved, deeply saccate-connate, clasping the spur of the lip, free part broadly obliquely triangular, acute, when flattened in total 0.83 cm long, free part 0.18 cm long, 0.28 cm wide; mentum pointing backwards, elliptic, obtuse, 0.28 cm long. Petals oblong, at the apex recurved, obtuse, concave at the base, 3-nerved, 0.63 by 0.33 cm. Lip in total 0.63 cm long, spur appressed to the ovary, slightly curved, dorsally almost straight, ventrally convex, ovate, obtuse, to the apex of the ovary 0.25 cm long, 0.3 cm wide, part of the lip adnate to the column 0.16 cm long, blade porrect, slightly recurved, quadrangular, dilated towards the apex, truncate, slightly obtusely angled, concave, above with a small longitudinal rib, carnose, at the base delimited by a strong transverse ridge, up to this ridge 0.3 cm long, at the base 0.2 cm long, at the apex 0.3 cm wide. Column slightly curved, dorsally strongly convex, slightly contracted above, without anther 0.23 cm long, at the apex broadly triangular, clinandrium denticulate, auricles triangular, hardly shorter than the rostellum. Rostellum truncate, slightly bilobulate. Stigma together with the rostellum cup-shaped, suborbicular, with the lower margin strongly elongated, recurved, then very narrowly incurved. Column-foot almost absent. Ovary 6-grooved, glabrous, 0.45-0.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1915).

Colours: Flower yellowish white with a large, bright orange-yellow blotch on the lip.

Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1700 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 322-133M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)