Papuaea reticulata

Papuaea reticulata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16 (1919) 105

Type: Kempf s.n. (Kaiser Wilhelmsland, border between German- and Engl. N. Guinea) (holo B, lost)

Terrestrial, erect, 30 cm high. Rhizome stem-like, rooting; roots flexuose, somewhat fleshy, villose. Stem terete, glabrous, 4-5-leaved, c. 6-7 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm diam. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate, blade broadly elliptic or suborbicular, apiculate, at the base rounded or retuse, 3.5-5 cm long and wide, petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 1.5-2 cm long. Inflorescence terminal, slender, especially towards the apex glandulose-puberulous; peduncle-scales 4-5, acuminate, distant; peduncle to 20 cm long; rachis rather densely several- to many-flowered, erect, to 6 cm long, densely glandulose-puberulous. Floral bracts erect-patent, lanceolate, acuminate, a little shorter than the ovary. Flowers not resupinated, glabrous. Sepals 0.45 cm long, ovate, obtuse; lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely ligulate, subacute, near the middle somewhat dilated, almost as long as the sepals, adhering to the median sepal. Lip as long as the sepals, concave, at the base cucullate, in outline oblong, 3-lobed in front, inside at the base with two sessile calli; lateral lobes short, rounded; mid-lobe semi-oblong, obtuse; lip outside with an irregularly crenate crest which surpasses the front side of the lateral lobes. Column without a foot; including the fairly long rostellum c. 0.35 cm long, glabrous; rostellum triangular, deeply notched. Anther ovate-cucullate, erect, acuminate, at the base cordate. Ovary cylindical, glabrous, 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1919)

Colours: Leaves green with white reticulate veins. Flower colour not recorded.

Habitat: Terrestrial in hill and lower montane forest; 380 to 1200 m.

Flowering time in the wild: May, September.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea (locality of type specimen too vaguely indicated, therefore not included in the map). See map: 524-1M.JPG.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

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