Glomera fruticula

Glomera fruticula J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 2 (1911) 5

Type: Kock, de 104 (holo BO, ?lost); neotype (chosen by Van Royen): Pulle (Versteeg) 2468 (neo BO; isoneo K, L)

Stems very much branched, terete, leafy, internodes up to 1.2 cm long, 0.2 cm diam., those of the branches much shorter (up to 0.13 cm long) and thinner. Leaves small, distichous, patent, somewhat curved, lanceolate, apex somewhat contracted, obtuse, at the base short petiolate-contracted, above on either side of the groove longitudinally convex, convex below, thick, 0.3-0.8 cm long, 0.1-0.2 cm wide; sheaths tubular, densely verrucose, apex not or very sparsely fimbriate. Inflorescence terminal, 1-flowered, nodding, peduncle short. Floral bracts 2, clasping each other, the ovary and the spur, membranous, nerves prominent, outer one tubular at the base only, verruculose, acute apiculate, 0.85 cm long, inner one tubular, thinner, apiculate, slightly verruculose, brown-punctate, 1.1 cm long. Flower rather large. Sepals and petals reflexed, strongly convex. Median sepal lanceolate, towards the apex narrowed, short conical-apiculate, 5-nerved, 1.25 cm long, 0.33 cm wide. Lateral sepals at the base obliquely dilated, rounded, shortly connate and enveloping the base of the spur, front margin cohering, obliquely linear-lanceolate, towards the apex narrowed, long subulate-apiculate, apex recurved, 5-nerved, 1.35 cm long, at the base 0.46 cm, above the base 0.33 cm wide. Petals linear-lanceolate, short-acute, at the base 3-nerved, 1.1 cm long, 0.23 cm wide. Lip small, in the basal part adnate to the column, strongly concave, very long spurred, indistinctly 3-lobed, when flattened (to apex of ovary) 0.4 cm long, 7-nerved, blade fleshy, when flattened transversely rhombic, 0.36 cm long, 0.53 cm wide, basal part adnate to the column, cuneate, about 0.1 cm long; lateral lobes erect, appressed to the column, rounded; mid-lobe porrect, short, broadly triangular, obtuse; spur appressed to the ovary, subsigmoid, subterete, in front below the apex somewhat inflated, dorsally flattened and towards the apex broadly grooved, obtuse, about as long as the ovary, 1.44 cm long. Column in the basal part adnate to the lip, without anther 0.2 cm long, apex broadly retuse, on either side with a broad obtuse tooth, auricles on either side of the rostellum shortly tooth-like. Rostellum broad, semiorbicular, sinus rounded, bidentate, surpassing auricles. Stigma obliquely funnel-shaped, lower margin elongated, recurved, together with the rostellum in outline ovate. Ovary and pedicel subsigmoid, 6-grooved, glabrous, 1.55 cm long. (After Smith, 1913)

Colours: Flower brown-red, lip with black margins.

Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 3000-3323 m.

Flowering time in the wild: February, March, June, July, October.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 322-49M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in light position.

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