Pedilochilus petiolatum

Pedilochilus petiolatum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 690

Type: Schlechter 18815 (holo B, lost)

Epiphyte, very small, c. 8 cm high. Rhizome creeping, short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs narrowly ovoid or cylindrical-ovoid, c. 2 cm by 0.6-0.7 below the middle. Leaf erect, oblong-ligulate, apiculate, glabrous, coriaceous, 2.5-4 by almost 0.8-1.2 cm in the middle; base narrowed into a petiole to 2 cm long. Inflorescence 1-flowered, 3.5-4 cm long, basal, wiry, glabrous, with few small, distant peduncle-scales. Floral bracts ovate-cucullate, shortly acuminate, much smaller than the pedicellate ovary. Flower suberect. Sepals oblong-elliptic, apiculate, glabrous, c. 1 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, somewhat broader than the median sepal. Petals ascending, obovate-elliptic, 0.6 cm long; apex falcate-recurved; in the middle slightly humped-curved. Lip obovate, slipper-shaped, in total c. 1 by 0.55 cm above the middle; base very shortly clawed; basal auricles very small, recurved, obliquely oblong, callus between these rounded, only very shortly decurrent in front; margins thickened; inside slightly 3-keeled; in front elongated in a very small, obtuse lobule. Column very short, glabrous; stelidia subulate, hardly longer than the basal third of the lip; column-foot somewhat incurved. Pedicel and ovary slender, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)

Colours: Flowers pale yellow. Petals and lip spotted red.

Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 2000 m.

Flowering time in the wild: November.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 534-28M.jpg.

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

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