Glossorhyncha tubisepala

Glossorhyncha tubisepala P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 620, fig. 218

Type: Brass & Collins 31305 (holo L)

Slender, branched, pendulous, up to 50 cm long, epiphytic herb. Stems terete, glabrous. Leaves patent-spreading, coriaceous, linear, glabrous, ovate in basal part, 0.9-2.2 by 0.1-0.2 cm, unequally 2-tipped, longer lobe truncate or rounded, shorter one acute, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 3 on either side of mid-rib, prominent on underside only; sheaths scattered warty mainly along ribs, tubular, 0.2-2.5 cm long, ribbed, apical margin with 0.1-0.25 cm long bristles, each very sparsely warty. Ovary narrowly clavate, 1.3 cm long, 3-sided, glabrous. Spathe sparsely warty mainly on the ribs, narrowly obovoid-cylindrical, 1.6 by 0.2 cm, obtuse, about 7-nerved, ribs more or less crested, mid-rib stronger so towards tip. Floral bract similar to but shorter than spathe, obtuse, thinner nerved and less warty. Median sepal glabrous, linear, ovate in basal part, 1.5-1.65 by 0.3 cm, obtuse, conoid-acuminate, base 3-nerved, 5-nerved in higher parts. Lateral sepals glabrous, connate in their basal part and forming a collar around base of spur, falcate, linear, widened in basal part, 1.7-1.8 by 0.3 cm, obtuse, conoid-acuminate, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts. Petals glabrous, linear, 1.3-1.4 by 0.2 cm, obtuse, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts. Lip adnate to base of column, deltoid, 0.3 by 0.3 cm, obtuse, 5-nerved, finely papillate on either side of tip only; spur glabrous, clavate, 1.3 cm long, shallowly and broadly grooved above, obtuse. Column slender, slightly curved, 0.3 by 0.2 by 0.2 cm, clinandrium dentate-crenulate. Anther broadly ellipsoid-cucullate, 0.1 by 0.08 by 0.07 cm, 2-lobed at base, retuse at tip, basal part of connective umbonate. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1979).

Colours: Flowers salmon pink.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 3100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: Not known

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-105M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.

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