Pedilochilus majum

Pedilochilus majum J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 358, pl. 131, fig. 240 ('majus')

Type: Pulle (Versteeg) 2406 (iso L); 2426 (iso L)

Rhizome stout, elongated, branched, entirely covered with large, wide, tubular, shortly acuminate, to c. 3.5 cm long scales. Roots elongated, branched. Pseudobulbs 0.8-1.25 cm apart, in the basal part appressed to the rhizome and underneath concave, apex patent, truncate, fleshy, when dried c. 2.3-2.75 cm long; initially enclosed by sheaths; 1-leaved. Leaf narrowly lanceolate, acute, when dried coriaceous; base gradually somewhat narrowed into a petiole and conduplicate; nerve underneath in the top part prominent; midrib above grooved, c. 10-20 by 0.85-1.85 cm (when dried). Inflorescences from the nodes of the rhizome, branched-fascicled, numerous, to c. 16-18 in each fascicle. c. 7.5-12.5 cm long; the base covered with small tubular sheaths, in basal half with c. 3 small, tubular, shortly acuminate, slightly over 1 cm long sheaths. Floral bract tubular, above widened, obliquely truncate, obtuse, keeled, 0.97 cm long. . Median sepal shortly clawed, oblong-ovate, gradually narrowed, subacute, subulate-mucronate, ciliate, inside puberulous, 3-nerved, c. 2.1 cm long, without cilii 0.73 cm wide; claw oblong-quadrangular, slightly finely ciliate, almost 0.3 cm long; dorsally papillose-puberulous. Lateral sepals obliquely subovate-oblong, acuminate, 5-nerved, c. 2.5 by slightly over 1 cm; base slightly contracted; margins narrowly bent inwards, the lower margin finely ciliate; inside especially to base papillose-puberulous. Petals very small, shortly clawed, obliquely subovate, shortly acuminate, acute, nerve 1, wavy, when not flattened 0.74 cm long; in the middle strongly hollow-concave; apex and upper margin recurved. Lip immobile, making a right angle with the column-foot, porrect, shortly clawed, strongly hollow-concave, 5-nerved, in total c. 1.9 cm long; in lateral view semiobovate; above the base with 2 erect, falcate-recurved, oblong, obtuse, auricles which are as long as the claw; between the auricles with a transverse, erect, reversed, semiorbicular, in front rounded, convex, fleshy lamella; margins incurved; apex contracted in a porrect, sublinear-oblong, obtuse, convex, above the base underneath in total length longitudinally grooved, glabrous fleshy 0.7 cm long appendage. Column 0.35 cm long; stelidia filiform, distinctly exceeding the anther; column-foot short, making a straight angle with the ovary, thick, truncate, 0.1 cm long. Anther cucullate, apex extended in a recurved, large, rounded-quadrangular, convex, papillose appendage. Ovary 6-grooved, including the 0.7 cm above the base articulate pedicel c. 2-2.4 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)

Colours: Flower spotted red-brown. Lip at base and top dark brown.

Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 759-3794 m.

Flowering time in the wild: February.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Indonesia (Papua); see map 534-21M.jpg.

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.

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