Thelasis carinata

Thelasis carinata Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 386; Tab. & Pl. Jav. Orchid. (1825) t. 75

Type: Blume s.n. (Mt. Salak) (syn L; isosyn K); 218 (syn L)

Epiphytic, caespitose, stemless, to 30 cm high; Roots glabrous, elongated, flexuose, terete. Leaves 3-4, with their sheaths hiding the ancipitous, 3.5-5 cm long, in basal half 1.2-1.5 cm wide, 1-leaved pseudobulb; leaf sheaths 3.5-5 cm long. Leaves linear-ovate, 13-25 by 0.8-1.2 cm, apex asymmetric, obtuse. Inflorescences lateral, racemose, erect-patent, often shorter than the leaves; peduncle-scales 3-4, small, submembranous; rachis 4-6 cm long, laxly several-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, apex bristle-like acuminate, glabrous, much shorter than the ovary. Flowers not resupinated, patent. Median sepal lanceolate, 0.6 cm long, apex acute. Lateral sepals somewhat obliquely lanceolate, 0.6 cm long, apex acute. Petals narrowly lanceolate, subfalcate, almost as long as the sepals. Lip ligulate, almost 0.6 cm long, the concave-semiglobose base separated from the flat blade by a small transverse keel, apex acuminate. Column very short, foot absent; rostellum erect, very long, bifid, at the basal margin on either side with a small auricle. Anther lanceolate, rostrate-acuminate. Pollinia 8; caudicles single, narrowly linear; viscidium linear, acute at both ends. Pedicel very short; ovary with pedicel 0.4 cm long, 3-ribbed. (After Schlechter, 1905)

Colours: Flower greenish with white tips to the sepals and petals.

Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest and on isolated roadside trees; 200 to 1100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December.

Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, Philippines, Sula Islands).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 686-7M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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