Corybas epiphyticus

Corybas epiphyticus (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 19 (1923) 21

Basionym: Corysanthes epiphytica

Epiphytic, very small. Tuber globose, 0.6 cm diam. Subterranean part of the stem thicker than the part of the stem above the soil, fleshy, villose-muricate, 0.4-3.4 cm long, stoloniferous, with triangular sheaths, stolons elongated, pilose-muriculate, at apex thickened into a tuber, 7-8 cm long. Stem above the ground erect, 11 cm long, at the base sparsely covered with sheaths, 1-leaved. Leaf sessile, broadly ovate, slightly cordate, at the base in the sinus very shortly contracted, apex shortly acutely apiculate-acuminate, with curved veins, main nerves 5, with erect-patent veins in between, all prominent above, 3.1 cm long, 2.7 cm wide. Inflorescence 1-flowered, peduncle short. Floral bracts reflexed, linear-subulate, very narrowly acuminate, concave, keeled, 1.4 cm long. Flower more or less recurved, large. Median sepal strongly sigmoid, lanceolate, towards the apex somewhat narrowed, apex recurved, long and narrowly subulate-acuminate, concave, at the base 3-, above the base 5-nerved, nerves dorsally finely erose-keeled, when flattened 3.5 cm long, 0.73 cm wide. Lateral sepals ascending, elongated, sigmoid, narrowly linear, at the base concave, above conduplicate, dorsally keeled, 1-nerved, when flattened 3.35 cm long, at the base 0.15 cm wide. Petals similar to the lateral sepals but longer, 4.3 cm long, at the base 0.18 cm wide. Lip large, tubular-funnel-shape, doubly convolute, near the middle abruptly recurved, basal part laterally compressed, dilated above, at the base doubly spurred, without callus, inside in front very minutely puberulous, in the middle in the curved part with a patch of somewhat longer hairs, when flattened 2.15 cm long, 1.7 cm wide; blade when flattened broadly ovate-triangular-subreniform, shortly acutely acuminate, very minutely erose, 17 nerved, 2 cm long, 2.75 cm wide; spurs porrect, parallel, conical, 0.6 cm long. Column slightly curved, 0.35 cm long, at the base thickened, adnate to the lip. Anther cucullate, conduplicate, apiculate. Pollinia 4, oblong. Rostellum porrect, apex orbicular. Stigma with raised margins, recurved. Ovary sessile, recurved, unequally acutely 6-ribbed, 0.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1913, as Corysanthes epiphytica J.J.Sm.)

Colours: Leaf green. Flower violet, all parts paler or white towards the apices, tips of lateral sepals and petals violet.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1850-2800 m.

Flowering time in the wild: March, April, October.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-43M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, keep in shade.

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