Tropidia ramosa

Tropidia ramosa J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 38

Type: Versteeg 1679 (holo BO; iso L)

Stems erect, branched, in the basal part covered with cataphylls, above flexuose, leafy, c. 65 cm long, internodes of the main stem 2-6 cm long. Leaves erect-patent, lanceolate, gradually very long caudate-acuminate with acute tip, at the base shortly petiolate-narrowed, below with 5 prominent veins, 14-21 by 1.3-2.6 cm. Inflorescences many, lateral and terminal, very short, branched, few-flowered, 1-1.75 cm long; peduncle 0.3-1 cm long, entirely covered with peduncle-scales. Floral bracts distichous, patent, imbricate, triangular, 0.7 by 0.55 cm, acuminate, c. 7 nerved, with very short veins in between, covered with minute brown scale-hairs. Sepals outside with minute scale-hairs. Median sepal ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, acute, concave, with 5 nerves dorsally slightly prominent, 1 by 0.36 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, at the apex recurved, acute, with 3 nerves dorsally prominent and 1-2 inconspicuous additional veins, 1.25 by 0.34 cm. Petals lanceolate, 1 by 0.3-0.33 cm, slightly acuminate, at the apex obtuse and subcucullate, slightly falcate, concave, 3-nerved, mid-vein dorsally strongly keeled. Lip appressed to the column, strongly concave, slightly 3-lobed, at the base very shortly rounded-saccate, the apical part recurved, underneath with a longitudinal groove, 3-nerved, when not flattened 0.7 by 0.28 cm, when flattened in outline broadly oblong, acuminate, 0.9 by 0.46 cm; lateral lobes short, obtusely; mid-lobe reflexed, triangular, acute, with incurved apical margins, 0.26 by 0.24 cm; keels 2, broad, convex, in the middle narrower, very high, obtuse, towards the base gradually vanishing. Column making an almost straight angle with the ovary, clavate, 0.65 cm long; clinandrium strongly oblique; rostellum triangular, bidentate; stigma transverse. Anther ovate-cordate, long acuminate, obtusely keeled, almost as long as the rostellum, 0.3 cm long; pollinia 2, bipartite, in total 0.33 cm long; stipe filiform; viscidium oblong. Ovary twisted, 0.55 cm long, 6-grooved, covered with minute brown scale-hairs. (After Smith, 1909)

Colours: Not recorded.

Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 350 m.

Flowering time in the wild: August.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 707-32M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

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