Oberonia irrorata

Oberonia irrorata Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 112

Type: Schlechter 14443 (holo B, lost)

Caespitose, erect, 11-17 cm high. Roots filiform, flexuose, terete, glabrous. Stem erect, flexuose, entirely covered with the leaf-sheaths, at the base with a few small cataphylls. Leaves suberect, 4-5, equitant, linear falcate, 3.5-5 cm long, near the middle 0.2-0.3 cm wide, acute, at the base dilated into the sheath, which usually has translucent spots. Inflorescence cylindrical, rather densely many-flowered, elongated, with translucent spots, up to 9 cm long, 0.4 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, slightly more than half as long as the ovary. Flowers patent, 0.15 cm diam., glabrous. Median sepal broadly ovate, obtuse. Lateral sepals as long, obliquely ovate, obtuse. Petals patent, oblong, almost as long as the sepals, margins with a few irregular teeth. Lip 3-lobed, at the base concave, as long as the sepals; lateral lobes patent, obliquely cuneate, truncate; mid-lobe cuneate, apex truncate, corners obtuse, nearly twice as large as the lateral lobes. Column short, clinandrium with a conspicuous margin, dorsally notched. Anther subreniform. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.2 cm long. Fruit oblong, shortly pedicellate, , 0.3 cm long, near the middle c. 0.2 cm diam. (After Schlechter, 1905)

Colours: Flowers orange with translucent spots. Stem and margins of leaf-sheaths red.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 900 to 1100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: April, September.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-163M.JPG.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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