Calanthe fragrans

Calanthe fragrans P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 145, fig. 60

Type: NGF (Vandenberg) 39622 (holo K; iso LAE)

Terrestrial, up to 60 cm high. Rhizome very short. Stem none. Roots fleshy, white villose. Leaves in a rosette, blade patent-spreading, herbaceous, glabrous, elliptic, sometimes oblong elliptic, (7-)10-76(-22) by (1-)2-5.5 cm, subcaudate, base narrowly cuneate, mid-rib prominent on either side, stronger so below, lateral nerves numerous of which 2 or 3 on either side are stronger developed, margin slightly wavy. Petioles glabrous, (0.5-)2-3 cm long, ribbed. Inflorescence scattered retrorse puberulous with white hairs on peduncle, sheaths, rachis, outside of bracts, pedicels and ovary, up to 60 cm long, many-flowered, 3-sided, with 1 or 2 sheaths along its entire length, scales 2 cm long, acute, ribbed. Peduncle 50 cm long. Rachis 12 cm long. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 0.6 by 0.1 cm, subacute, 1-nerved, gibbose at base. Pedicel 0.2-0.4 cm long. Ovary oblong-clavate, curved, 0.5 by 0.1 cm, 3-ribbed. Flowers, scented, with recurved sepals and petals. Median sepal glabrous, elliptic-ovate, c. 0.5 by 0.25 cm. subacute, 1-nerved. Lateral sepals glabrous, obliquely elliptic-ovate or slightly obovate, 0.45-0.55 by c. 0.25 cm, rounded at tip, 2-nerved at base, 3-nerved in higher parts. Petals glabrous, obliquely oblong-ovate, 0.5 by 0.2 cm, subtruncate or obtuse, 1-nerved, sometimes 2-nerved. Lip glabrous, 0.9 cm long, 3-lobed, lateral lobes obliquely ovate-oblong, 0.2 by 0.01 cm, obtuse, spreading at right angle to median lobe, the latter oblong, 0.45 by 0.2 cm, shortly 2-lobed at tip, each lobe 0.1 cm long and subacute, 3-nerved, at base on inside with 3 crests, the lateral ones merging into the auricles of column, the median one in between, the two lateral ones on inside and the median one only at the basal end with long bristle-like hairs; spur clavate, 1.3 cm long, 2-lobed at tip. Column 0.3 by 0.3 cm, margin of clinandrium wavy with one slightly more prominent subacute tooth and 2 large auricles. Anther cucullate, 0.15 by 0.15 cm, subtruncate, base retuse, umbonate. Pollinia 8, yellow, pyriform, 0.005 cm long. Capsule, narrowly ellipsoid, 1 by 0.3 cm, scattered puberulous, 3-ribbed. (After Van Royen, 1979).

Colours: Leaves dark green. Flowers yellowish green, many parts white punctulate.

Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 3230 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-134M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in shade.

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