Podochilus lancilabris

Podochilus lancilabris Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 89

Type: Ledermann 9259 (holo B, lost)

Epiphytic, very small, creeping, branched, c. 8 cm long. Stems and branches filiform, flexuose, many-leaved, terete, entirely covered with the clasping leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, oblong-ligulate, 0.35-0.5 cm long, obliquely acuminate, somewhat narrowed at the base, glabrous. Inflorescence apical, short, few-flowered, somewhat longer than the leaves. Floral bracts ovate, acuminate; the lower ones surpassing the ovary, the upper ones as long as the ovary. Flowers glabrous. Sepals 0.08 cm long. Median sepal ovate, obtuse. Lateral sepals strongly oblique, narrowly ovate, obtuse; mentum semi-oblong, obtuse, half as long as the sepals. Petals obliquely elliptic-oblong, obtuse, about as long as the sepals, glabrous. Lip peltate-clawed, in outline lanceolate-linguiform, 0.13 cm long, subobtuse, 3-nerved, in the middle slightly constricted, below the point of attachment extended into a quadrangular, short, truncate-broadly obtuse lobe. Column short, foot narrow; rostellum lanceolate-triangular, shortly bifid. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, 0.05 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1922)

Colours: Flower white or white suffused with violet.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 850 m.

Flowering time in the wild: October.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 568-65M.JPG.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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