Goodyera pusilla

Goodyera pusilla Blume, Fl. Javae, n.s., 1 (1858) 31, pl. 9b fig. 3

Type: Blume s.n. (W. Java, Mt. Pangrango) (holo L)

Small terrestrial. Stems creeping at the base, leafy part erect, terete, fleshy, 3-6 cm long, 4-5-leaved. Leaves petiolate; petiole with sheath 0.9 cm long, sheath tubular; blade oblong-ovate, 3.3 by 1.5 cm, margins somewhat wavy, apex acute. Inflorescence racemose, erect, 6 cm long, shortly pubescent; peduncle 3.5 cm long, peduncle-scales tubular, with a small blade, c. 8-flowered. Floral bracts at the base broad, subulate-pointed. Flowers resupinated, 0.25 cm across, only slightly opening. Median sepal ovate, 0.3 cm long, concave, glabrous, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, 0.4 cm long, glabrous, mid-rib prominent outside, apex obtuse. Petals unequal-sided, somewhat falcate, narrowly semirhombic, 0.27 cm long, forming a helmet with the median sepal, apex crenulate. Lip appressed to the column, base saccate, projecting from between the bases of the lateral sepals, broad, obtuse, grooved outside, inside bristly hairy, blade triangular, margins conduplicate and finely denticulate. Column short, clinandrium deep; rostellum short, porrect, bidentate, stigma almost round. Anther short cordate, acute. Pollinia two, clavate, deeply divided. (After Smith, 1905).

Colours: Leaves velvety blackisk brown, paler in the centre, with about 7 copper-red veins, connected by cross-veins. Sepals brown with paler base and whitish tips. Petals transparent yellowish. Lip light yellow with white margins. .

Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest.

Flowering time in the wild: July.

Distribution: Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 332-113M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in humus-rich compost in a shady position.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)