Pedilochilus cyatheicola

Pedilochilus cyatheicola P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 256, fig. 90

Type: Balgooy, van 722 (holo L; iso K)

Small, epiphytic, up to 14 cm high in large cushions. Rhizome long, creeping, branched. Pseudobulbs relatively apart, glabrous, erect, ovoid or globose, 3-5 by 3-5 mm, at base with 1 or 2 sheaths, these broadly ovate, up to 4 by 4 mm large, acute, nerved. Leaves spreading to almost horizontal, coriaceous, densely minutely papillate above, scattered and less distinctly so on underside, with numerous pellucid dots on upper side, margin papillate in apical part, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic-ovate, 1-6 by 0.4-0.7 cm, acute, broadly cuneate and petiole-like narrowed at base, midrib grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 1 on either side of midrib, not well developed, margin crinkly wavy, revolute, papillate in apical part. Inflorescence solitary. Peduncle glabrous, 3-14 cm long, at base with a tubular, up to 6 mm long bract which is obliquely truncate, acutish. Floral bract glabrous, widely funnelshaped, up to 5 mm long, obliquely truncate, acute, 1-nerved. Pedicel 7-8 mm long. Ovary glabrous, claviform, curved, 3.5-4 mm long, 6-grooved. Median sepal very densely finely puberulous on outside in basal part only, fimbriate-papillate along margin, subdensely puberulous on inside, narrowly spathulate, sometimes elliptic-spathulate, 1518 by 3.5-5 mm, acuminate, subtruncate at base, 3-nerved, nerves prominent on outside, midrib stronger so in apical part than lateral nerves, margin wavy. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic-oblong, 17-22 by 5-6.5 mm, acutish and cucullate at tip, 5-nerved, midrib prominent on outside, in basal part on outside densely finely papillate, the rest less densely papillate with longer papillate but glabrous towards tip, margin fimbriatepapillate, inside scattered puberulous in lower half, white punctulate mainly along lower margin. Lateral petals glabrous, obliquely quadrangular, 6-7.5 by 2.5-4 mm, upper wing much wider than lower, acute, falcate and curved outwards at tip, shortly clawed at base, 1-nerved, nerve distinctly winged on outside, upper with sigmoid-wavy. Lip glabrous, 11-12 by 4.5 mm, epichilium oblong-cordate, 2.5-3 by 2 mm, obtuse, curved, mesochilium 7.5-9 by 4.5 mm, oblong-ovoid in outline, 5-nerved, nerves in margins slightly thickened, midrib distinctly crested on inside, grooved on outside, hypochilium at tip with 2 lateral, falcate-oblong, 1.5-2 mm long, obtuse appendages , between and behind these a median, obliquely ovoid, 0.5 mm long appendage. Column slender 1.2-1.5 mm long, clinandrium entire. Stelidia subulate, sigmoiä. Anther oblong, 1.5 by 0.7 by 0.2 mm, densely papillate along the thickened connective, otherwise membranous and glabrous. Pollinia 2, oblong, 0.5 mm long, each 2-lobed. Column-foot curved, at tip with a oblong curved appendage. Capsule not seen. (After van Royen, 1979)

Colours: Flower yellow or glistening lemon yellow, lip sometimes bright orange at tip.

Habitat: Epiphyte.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 534-11M.jpg.

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, requires light position.

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