Ceratostylis subulata

Ceratostylis subulata Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 306

Type: Blume s.n. (Mt. Salak); (Pantjar); s.n. (syn L)

An epiphytic herb. Stems closely tufted, 7-15 cm long, variable in thickness from wiry to slender, 0.03-0.15 cm in diameter, sometimes finely pubescent. Leaf solitary, almost terete, broadly grooved on one side, 3-8 by 0.1-0.25 cm, sometimes finely pubescent. Inflorescences terminal, 1-3. Floral bracts papery, lanceolate, 0.3-0.4 cm long. Flowers finely pubescent. Pedicel and ovary pubescent, 0.3 cm long. Median sepal ovate, 0.3 by 0.1 cm, recurved at tip. Lateral sepals ovate, 0.35 by 0.1 cm, recurved at tips and fused at base to form a finely hairy, 0.1 cm long, globose mentum. Petals unguiculate, acute, 0.2 by 0.08 cm. Lip narrow at the base, narrowly ovate, blunt, 0.35 by 0.15 cm at fleshy apex, the disc with 3 obscure calli at base, the spur globose, 0.1 cm long. Column 0.1 cm long, with a short column-foot, 0.075 cm long. (After Lewis and Cribb, 1991).

Colours: Stems dark green. Flowers dull red-purple or pale purple to translucent cream colour with a pinkish white mentum and a yellow lip.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland and montane forest. Altitude 440-2621 m.

Flowering time in the wild: March.

Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, ?Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Moluccas, New Guinea, The Philippines), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Sikkim to Hainan, Nicobar Isl., Solomon Is., Vanuatu.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 125-147M.JPG

Cultivation: Warm to cool growing epiphyte.

Note: Probably much more common in New Guinea than the paucity of confirmed records suggest. Some species now believed to be endemic to New Guinea may turn out to be synonyms of Ceratostylis subulata.

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