Tropidia janowskyi

Tropidia janowskyi J.J.Sm., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23 (1915) 2

Type: Janowsky 616 (holo BO; iso L)

Stems unequally quadrangular, in the basal part covered with cataphylls, in the upper part 3-4-leaved, 8-13 cm long [described from incomplete specimens]. Leaves patent, lanceolate, gradually rather long acuminate, with acute tip, mucronate, plicate, with c. 7 rather strong prominent nerves below, with several thinner additional nerves especially prominent above, papyraceous, 10-16 cm long, 2.1-3.7 cm wide; cataphylls tubular, angular, strongly prominently veined. Inflorescence terminal, unbranched, several-flowered, producing flowers for a long time, one or a few flowers opening at the same time; peduncle thin, angular, 3-3.5 cm long; peduncle-scales small, leaf-like, with shortly tubular base, 2.75-3.75 cm long; rachis flexuose, thin, angular, to 4 cm long. Floral bracts approximate, distichous, rather widely patent, conduplicate, ovate, acuminate, crisped, keeled, 7-nerved, sparsely appressed puberulous, when flattened to 1.25 by 0.6 cm. Flowers 1.25 cm long. Median sepal erect, at the apex revolute, linear, gradually narrowed towards the apex, apiculate, concave, 1.3 by 0.2 cm. Lateral sepals erect, spirally revolute, obliquely lanceolate-linear, gradually narrowed, strongly concave, channelled above, subulate-apiculate, 3-nerved, when flattened about 1 by 0.25 cm. Petals divergent, lanceolate-linear, gradually narrowed towards the apex, slightly falcate, at the apex recurved, acute, apiculate, concave, 3-nerved, mid-rib dorsally thickened, 1 by 0.2 cm. Lip erect, in upper third reflexed, basal with the lower margins appressed to the column, ventricose-concave, underneath longitudinally grooved, when flattened triangular, 5-nerved, 0.83 by 0.46 cm, at 2/3 above the base constricted, there with two short subparallel calli that do not reach the apex; epichile ovate, acuminate, with narrowly obtuse tip, apiculate, undulate, 0.25 by 0.2 cm. Column slender, at the apex slightly recurved, at the apex obtuse, 0.45 cm long; rostellum erect, much overtopping the apex of the column, acutely bidentate; stigma concave. Anther slightly shorter than the rostellum, erect, cucullate, suborbicular, abruptly acuminate with acute tip, 0.13 cm wide; pollinia clavate-pear-shaped, caudicles linear; viscidium very small; the whole pollinarium 0.18 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, c. 1 cm long, with few short, appressed hairs that are red-brown when dried. (After Smith, 1915)

Colours: Flower yellow, lip white.

Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest.

Flowering time in the wild: January.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 707-22M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

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