Lecanorchis ciliolata

Lecanorchis ciliolata J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 341, pl. 43, fig. 6

Type: Lam 1303 (holo BO)

Inflorescences tall, rather densely many-flowered in the upper part, peduncle slender, 26.5 cm long, in the basal part (the stem) branched, fairly densely beset with sessile, almost clasping, appressed, broadly triangular, obtuse, concave, stiff, to 0.5 cm long scales that become smaller and more widely spaced towards the apex; rachis producing flowers for a long time, thin, flexuose, angular, finely warty, fairly many-flowered, to more than 5 cm long, internodes 0.3 cm long. Floral bracts persistent, turned to all sides, very short, largely clasping the rachis, sessile, appressed, very shortly and broadly triangular, obtuse, 0.1 cm long. Flowers c. 12, turned to all sides. Median sepal lanceolate, in the basal part almost spathulate-contracted, obtuse, strongly concave, 3-nerved, slightly more than 1 cm long, 0.28 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, at the base almost spathulate-contracted, subobtuse, obtusely apiculate, concave, dorsally thickened along the mid-rib especially towards apex, 1.1 cm long, almost 0.3 cm wide. Petals obliquely spathulate, obtuse, concave, 3-nerved, 1.1 cm long, at the base 0.14 cm, near the apex 0.36 cm wide. Lip 3-lobed, in the basal part for 0.5 cm adnate to the column forming a tube that is inside, except at the base, pubescent, the margins that are adnate to the column are swollen, especially towards the apex, and pubescent, with two conspicuous, oblique, densely pubescent keels that end abruptly at the base of the mid-lobe and gradually vanish near the base, lip when flattened in outline oblong, 6-nerved, 1.2 cm long, to the tips of the lateral lobes 0.65 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.54 cm wide; lateral lobes porrect, parallel, clearly shorter than the column, rounded, concave; mid-lobe much larger, at the base slightly contracted, elliptic-rhombic, slightly more than 0.6 cm long, at the base 0.25 cm wide, near the middle 0.53 cm wide, broadly obtuse, lobulate, especially in the apical part serrulate, densely covered with prickle-like, backwards-pointing, elongated, flexuose hairs except along the margins, the hairs in the basal part of the mid-lobe arranged in two longitudinal bands. Column adnate to the lip to beyond the middle, slender, clavate, somewhat below the middle distinctly obtusely recurved, dorsally convex, in front puberulous, margins of the free part dilated, near the apex in forming a tooth-like, triangular, obtuse, papillose wing, next to the stigma forming a triangular, obtuse, papillose tooth, 0.75 cm long, clinandrium deeply concave, with broad, truncate dorsal margins. Anther cucullate, in front almost flat, distinctly semiorbicular, at the base bilobulate, ciliolate, 0.16 cm wide. Ovary sessile, 6-grooved, 1.4 cm long. Floral cup irregularly dentate, 0.1 cm long, 0.2 cm diam. Fruit sessile, triangular, with a small rib on the sides, below the floral cup slightly constricted, 1.7-1.9 cm long, opening with 6 linear valvae that remain more or less coherent at base and apex. (After Smith, 1929)

Colours: Stem blackish brown. Sepals and petals dirty light greyish lilac, lip with whitish tip. Column white with yellowish white apex; ovary dirty lilac; fruit black.

Habitat: Terrestrial on banks of small streams; 250 m.

Flowering time in the wild: September.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 399-8M.JPG.

Cultivation: Parasite on fungi, impossible to cultivate under normal conditions.

Notes: Should be compared with Lecanorchis multiflora J.J.Sm.

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