Agrostophyllum acutum

Agrostophyllum acutum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 272

Type: Schlechter 19548 (holo B, lost)

Epiphytic, erect, 30-40 cm high. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stems straight, almost terete, densely leafy, entirely covered by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent lanceolate-ligulate, acute, apex often oblique, somewhat narrowed at the base, 10-15 cm long, near the middle 1.2-1.7 cm wide; leaf-sheaths close-fitting, at the apex on both sides with a short triangular, acute toot. Capitulum densely many-flowered, semiglobose, up to 4 cm across, at first enveloped by several sheaths. Peduncles short, covered with a few imbricating scales, 1-2-flowered. Bracts very small, hyaline, apiculate. Flowers erect or erect-patent. Sepals ovate, apiculate or acuminate, glabrous, 4.5 mm long. Lateral sepals decurrent, oblique. Petals obliquely oblong, minutely apiculate, glabrous, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip in basal part subglobose-saccate, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, obliquely rounded, short, very small; mid-lobe broadly reniform, margin irregularly subcrenulate-dentate, minutely apiculate, 3.5 mm long, 4.5 mm wide, in front of the opening of the sac with a transverse lamella oh which is few-dentate at the apex, sac 0.2 cm long. Column more than half as long as the lip, somewhat thickened, glabrous, dilated next to the stigma, below the stigma adorned with a short, deflexed, fleshy, tongue-shaped projection. Anther broadly ovate-elliptic, cucullate, acute, glabrous. Ovary glabrous, sessile, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).

Colours: Flower white.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1300 m.

Flowering time in the wild: May.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-1M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in light shade.

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