Stigmatodactylus gibbsiae

Stigmatodactylus gibbsiae (Kores) Kores, Novon 2, 3 (1992) 212 ('gibbsae')

Basionym: Acianthus gibbsiae

Small, erect herb, 5-10 cm tall; subterranean tubers relatively common, subglobose, 2-3 mm in diam. Stem slender, weakly 4-angled, 2.2-5.5 cm long, glabrous, enclosed at base by a single cataphyll; cataphyll free, lanceolate, 3-4 mm long, 1-nerved, the apex narrowly acuminate. Leaf broadly suborbicular, 8-15 mm long, 6-12 mm broad, the base deeply cordate and decurrent with stem along lateral edges, the sinus about as broad as deep, the apex abruptly acuminate to subacute and frequently minutely apiculate, the margins undulate. Inflorescence 1.5-4.5 cm tall, laxly 2-flowered. Floral bracts transversely ovate, 1.5-3 mm long, 3-5 mm broad, 3-5-nerved, the base broadly rounded to slightly cordate, the apex very abruptly acuminate. Flowers ascending. Dorsal sepal free, arched above the column, linear-oblanceolate, 4-5.5 mm long, about 1.5 mm broad, 1-nerved, glabrous, acute at apex; lateral sepals weakly spreading, linear-subulate, 3.5-4 mm long, 0.25-0.35 mm broad, 1-nerved, glabrous, narrowly acute at apex. Petals spreading, linear-spathulate, slightly falcate, 4-5.5 mm long, about 1.5 mm broad, 1-nerved, glabrous, subacute at apex. Lip patent or slightly ascending, broadly elliptic-obovate, 4-5 mm long, 4-5 mm broad, 6-nerved, the apex obtuse and ultimately briefly apiculate, the lateral margins entire, the disc with a single, large callus at base, the callus free from lip for most of its length, ascending, entire, cymbiform, 1.5-2mm long, about 0.75 mm broad, about 1 mm tall, minutely papillate along lateral margins, somewhat grooved dorsally, the ventral surface prominently keeled distally, the apex deflexed, blunt. Column 4.5-5 mm long, with a single, prominent, dactyliform appendage about midway along ventral surface, the appendage porrect, subulate, 0.5-0.75 mm long, the distal 1/3 of column semiterete, weakly channelled ventrally; pollinia four, mealy, obliquely deltoid, about 0.5 mm long, about 0.3 mm broad, the viscidium not seen; stigma obovate, with a small, porrect, deltoid appendage along ventral margin. Ovary cylindrical, 4-5 mm long, about 1 mm in diam., weakly 6-ribbed; capsule fusiform, about 5 mm long, about 3 mm in diam. (After Kores, 1991)

Colours: Sepals pale green, the lip brownish maroon.

Habitat: Terrestrial in forest margin; 2100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: December.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 665-3M.JPG.

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.

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