Pedilochilus petrophilum

Pedilochilus petrophilum P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 248, fig. 88

Type: Schodde 1765 (holo L)

Small, terrestrial, up to 8 cm high herb. Rhizome slender, creeping, branched, covered with strawlike whitish bracts, the latter ovate-tubular, 3-9 mm long, obliquely truncate, acute, crested, glabrous. Pseudobulbs glabrous, more or less parallel to rhizome, cylindric-ovoid, 6-9 by 1-2 mm, sometimes compressed, ribbed mainly in apical part. Leaves patent or erect, coriaceous, finely papillate-scarious along entire margin with longer papillae near very tip, otherwise glabrous, elliptic, elliptic-spathulate, or sometimes slightly ovate-elliptic, 1040 by 6.5-8 mm, acute and folded at tip, narrowed and folded at base, midrib grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 2-4 on either side of midrib and several less distinct in between, all prominent on either side or prominulous above and more distinct below, margin subrevolute or entire leaf often V-shaped in cross-section. Inflorescence solitary. Peduncle glabrous, 4-8 cm long, at base with 2-4 widely or narrowly tubular, 6-8 mm long, obliquely truncate, acute, subcarinate, glabrous bracts, with on- bract about halfway and an apical bract, the latter two shorter and gradually more funnelshaped than basal sheaths. Pedicels scattered brown flaky, slender, 3-5 mm long. Ovary glabrous, claviform, 2.5-3 by 1.2-1.5 mm, 6-grooved. Median sepal along margin fimbriate-papillate, otherwise glabrous, elliptic, 7-7.5 by 3.5-4 mm, obtuse and cucullate at tip, base clawed, 3-nerved, midrib slightly crested on outside, more so towards tip, lateral nerves prominent mainly in lower part. Lateral sepals finely papillate along margin, otherwise glabrous, obliquely quadrangular-oblong, 9-10 by 3-4 mm, obtuse and cucullate at tip, truncate at base, 5-nerved, midrib prominent at tip and base only. Lateral glabrous, strongly obliquely hatchet-shaped, 5-6 by 1.8-2.3 mm, sigmoid and twisted, acute, base narrowed, 1-nerved, nerve prominent on outside, grooved on inside. Lip glabrous, elliptic-ovate in outline, epichilium cordate, 1.3-1.5 by 1.3-1.5 mm, margins thickened, mesochilium elliptic-obovoid, 4.8-5.3 by 3-3.5 mm, 5-nerved, midrib prominent on inside, grooved on outside, hypochilium at tip with lateral falcate-oblong, 1.2-1.5 mm long, obtuse appendages, between the appendages a median knob-like appendage, base of hypochilium slightly widened and vaguely auricled. Column slender, conoid, 1.2-1.5 mm long, clinandrium crenulate. Stelidia subulate, sigmoid, 1.2-1.5 mm long, curving out- and downwards. Anther cucullate, 1 mm long, apical part curved upwards and truncate, finely papillate along apical margin. Pollinia 2, each composed of 2 unequal, closely adhering parts, 0.5 mm long. Capsule not seen. (After van Royen, 1979)

Colours: Flower cream with wine red stripes, lip red.

Habitat: Terrestrial in subalpine grassland.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 534-29M.jpg.

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, requires light position.

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