Malaxis floscularia

Malaxis floscularia (J.J.Sm.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 24 (1970) 80

Basionym: Microstylis floscularia

Stem creeping, rooting, at the apex ascending, 11-21 cm long, 9-17-leaved. Leaves obliquely ovate to oblong-ovate, at the apex triangular-pointed, acute, at the base oblique, main nerves grooved above, keeled below, above between the nerves convex, crispate, thin-textured, 1.5-4.1 by 0.83-1.8 cm; petiole channelled, including the tubular sheath 1-1.8 cm long. Inflorescence erect, laxly many-flowered; peduncle 3-5.5 cm long, with a few small bract-like scales; rachis winged-angular, 4.5-12 cm long. Floral bracts reflexed, triangular-lanceolate, acute, to 0.28-0.5 cm long. Flowers very small, turned to all sides. Sepals and petals recurved. Median sepal elliptic-ovate, obtuse, convex, at the apex concave, 3-nerved, 0.23-0.24 by 0.14-0.15 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, obtuse, convex, at the apex concave, 3-nerved, 0.24-0.25 by 0.15-0.16 cm. Petals revolute, linear, obliquely obtuse, convex, 1-nerved, 0.2 by 0.05 cm. Lip horseshoe-shaped, when flattened from the base to the apex of the mid-lobe 0.2 cm long, including the auricles c. 0.38 cm long, 0.25-0.27 cm wide, at the base with a low transverse lamella that is appressed to the base of the column, pit longitudinally narrowly oblong with swollen margins, mid-lobe semi-elliptic, almost to the middle divided into two falcate-triangular, acute teeth, on either side with 4 elongated, subulate-filiform, to 0.13-0.15 long teeth that distinctly surpass the mid-lobe, the inner teeth slightly incurved, the outer ones recurved, the outermost tooth very short, sometimes with a short additional tooth; basal auricles distant, triangular, falcate-incurved, acute, 0.13-0.15 cm long, at the base 0.1 cm wide. Column dorsally compressed, quadrangular, in the apical part slightly dilated, almost 0.1 cm long, at the apex 0.1 cm wide, clinandrium concave with a small longitudinal rib, wings divergent, oblong-quadrangular, obliquely truncate-obtuse; rostellum membranous, equilaterally trapeziform, truncate, slightly surpassing the anther. Anther almost flat, transverse, reniform, broadly obtuse. Pollinia 4, united into two obliquely obovate bodies, 0.02 cm long. Ovary pedicellate, 6-angular, 0.2 cm long. (After Smith, 1929)

Colours: Stem dark violet or light green suffused with purple. Leaves light green, sometimes suffused with purple. Peduncle and bracts dark violet or light green. Sepals and petals lilac, greenish yellow or violet; lip violet, light yellow with violet margins, teeth and centre, or with light green auricles, a lilac centre and teeth; column yellow, dark violet, or violet and yellow. Fruit lilac, afterwards dark violet or yellowish brown with faint violet streaks.

Habitat: Terrestrial on mossy stones in lowland forest and on stream banks; 100 to 350 m.

Flowering time in the wild: August, September.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 431-145M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)