Glossorhyncha pendulata

Glossorhyncha pendulata P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 594, fig. 207

Type: Brass 9351 (holo L; iso BRI)

Long pendulous, much branched up to 180 cm long, epiphytic or terrestrial herb. Stems and branches slender, glabrous. Leaves patent, coriaceous, glabrous, linear, 1-4.5 by 0.1 cm, rather obtuse, mid-rib flat above, narrowly crested below, lateral nerves 1 on either side, prominent above, narrowly crested below; sheaths dark coloured, papillate-warty in youngest leaves only, very soon glabrous, narrowly cylindrical, 0.5-2.5 cm long, long fimbriate-setose at tip, many-ribbed. Spathe glabrous, obovoid, 0.8 by 0.35 cm, 2-tipped, 5-nerved in basal part, 7-nerved in higher parts. Floral bract longer, more membranous and obliquely truncate than spathe, 0.9 by 0.3 cm, apiculate, 5-nerved, glabrous. Ovary glabrous, narrowly clavate, 0.6-0.85 cm long, 6-ribbed. Median sepal elliptic-ovate, 0.65 by 0.25 cm, obtuse, conoid-apiculate, 5-nerved, with a few glandular cells in centre. Lateral sepals glabrous, obliquely ovate, 0.4 by 0.25 cm, obtuse, conoid-apiculate, base free, obliquely ovate-dilated, appendage 0.3 by 0.15 cm, 5-nerved. Petals glabrous, oblong-elliptic, 0.5 by 0.15 cm, rounded, 5-nerved, with a few glandular cells in the centre. Lip adnate to base of column, free part cordate, 0.5 by 0.3 cm, irregularly 3-lobed, obtuse, many-nerved; spur glabrous, oblong, 0.8 by 0.2 cm, rounded and retuse at tip. Column short, curved, 0.2 by 0.15 by 0.1 cm, clinandrium 3-dentate. Anthers not seen. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1979).

Colours: Flowers green or pale yellowish green, lip red or brown at tip.

Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 2591-3560 m.

Flowering time in the wild: February, June.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-72M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, keep in light position.

Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.

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