Eulophia pulchra

Eulophia pulchra (Thouars) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (1833) 182

Basionym: Limodorum pulchrum

A terrestrial herb. Pseudobulbs slender, up to 10 cm long, sheathed by cataphylls and the fibres of decayed cataphylls. Leaves apical, 2 (or 3), plicate, elliptic, up to 30 by 7 cm, with 3 strongly marked veins; petiole up to 10 cm long. Inflorescences lateral, arising from near the base of the pseudobulb, up to 75 cm long, several- to many-flowered. Pedicel and ovary 1.5-2 cm long. Median sepal ovate, acute, 10-12 by 0.4-0.5 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-falcate, acute, 1-1.2 by 0.4-0.5 cm. Petals broader than sepals, ovate, acute, 0.9-1 by 0.5-0.6 cm. Lip 3-lobed, 0.9-1.2 by 1-1.2 cm, the lateral lobes erect, rounded, the mid-lobe much broader than long, broadly cleft, with a divided callus at its base, the spur short and spherical, 0.2 by 0.2 cm. Column 0.5 cm long. (After Lewis and Cribb, 1991, as Oeceoclades pulchra (Thouars) P.J.Cribb & M.A.Clem.).

Colours: Flowers green with a pale yellow lip with purple lines.

Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest. Altitude 5-1900 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, March, April, May, July.

Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, The Philippines), Vietnam, Madagascar, SE Asia, Australia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Mariana Islands.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 293-123M.JPG

Cultivation: Warm to intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.

Note: An extremely widespread species, which in spite of its name is far from showy. When not in flower it resembles a species of Plocoglottis. Differs from the other species of Eulophia in New Guinea by its distinct, exposed pseudobulbs.

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