Cadetia remotisepala

Cadetia remotisepala (J.J.Sm.) Schuit., Blumea 39 (1994) 235.

Basionym: Dendrobium remotisepalum.

Rhizome short. Pseudobulbs crowded, 1-leaved, ovoid to elongated-ovoid, subcylindrical, 0.7-1.3 by 0.32 cm. Leaves erect, weakly recurved, lanceolate, 1.3-2 by 0.3-0.46 cm, carnose, apex weakly bidentate, apiculate. Inflorescences terminal from the leaf axil as well as subterminal below the abaxial side of the leaf, 1-flowered; peduncle 0.25 cm long. Pedicel 0.9 cm long, angular; ovary 0.23 cm long, triangular in cross section, on either side with a lateral rib. Flower c. 0.7 cm across. Dorsal sepal recurved, broadly semioblong, 0.3 cm by 0.2 mm, apex subobtuse. Lateral sepals inserted some distance away from the dorsal sepal reflexed, the free part obliquely subelliptic, 0.5 cm long, at the base 1.8 mm, in the middle 2.7 mm wide, apex obtuse; mentum conical, almost straight, 0.3 cm long, obtuse. Petals porrect, obliquely lanceolate-rhombic, subspathulate, 0.3 cm by 1 mm, at the base 0.3 mm wide, apex recurved, narrowly obtuse. Lip clawed, 3-lobed at the base of the blade, including the claw 0.6 long, 0.32 cm wide across the lateral lobes, claw linear-oblong, 0.24 cm by 1 mm, for c. 1 mm adnate to the column-foot; lateral lobes small, erect, half-twisted at the base, subulate, subacute, connected by a transverse, rounded, 4-lobed callus; midlobe obovate, orbicular, 0.3 by 0.34 cm, very fleshy, with a large triangular, in the centre slightly concave swelling, apex subtruncate-rounded. Column 0.18 cm long, pubescent below the stigma, stelidia triangular, obtuse, filament short, tooth-like; column-foot 0.3 cm long, inside, except near the apical margins, pubescent.
(after Smith, 1929).

Colours: Flower white, lip dirty white.

Habitat: Epiphyte in low, mossy, Vaccinium-dominated, montane ridge forest. Altitude 1400 m.

Flowering time in the wild: October.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jaya Wijaya Regency).

Map: REMOTMAP.JPG [Cadetia remotisepala (J.J.Sm.) Schuit., distribution map.]

Notes: Cadetia remotisepala may be recognised by the small gap between the lateral sepals and the dorsal sepal, caused by the fact that the lateral sepals are inserted on the column foot. It is only known from the type specimen.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)