Glomera acuminata J.J.Sm.

Glomera acuminata J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 2(2):3 (1911)

Type :  de Kock 29 (holotype, BO (spirits specimen 721.7))

Growth form Terrestrial. Rhizome not seen. Roots filiform, long,  flexible, glabrous. Stem branched, slender, somewhat compressed, proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 1.3 cm long, 0.1 cm wide. Leaf linear-subulate, erect-patent, above obtusely concave, below convex; apex unequally 2-lobed, shorter lobe acute, longer lobe truncates; base petiolate-contracted; lamina 2.7-5.3 cm long, 0.23-0.25 cm wide; sheath tubular, in cross section elliptic, finely longitudinally ribbed, warty; apex toothed, with bristled margin. Inflorescences one-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe tubular at base, vein dorsally prominent especially the median one, sparsely warty, with brown dots, membranous, transparent, 0.95 cm long; apex apiculate; floral bracts thin, transparent, 0.95 cm long. Flowers upside-down, glabrous, thin-textured, 1.55 cm in diameter. Median sepal oblong, 3-nerved at base, 1.23 cm long, 0.43 cm wide; apex obtuse, subulate-apiculate, apiculum warty. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, slightly falcate, 4-nerved at base, 1.13 cm long, 0.45 cm wide; apex obtuse, subulate-apiculate; base deeply connate, mentum appressed to the ovary, short broadly retuse, dorsally saccate, 0.33 cm long, 0.28 cm wide. Petal broadly spathulate-obovate, 3-nerved at base, 1.15 cm long, 0.73 cm wide, apex rounded. Lip transversely elliptic-ovate, cucullate-concave, indistinctly 3-lobed, 0.35 cm long, 0.4 cm wide; epichile acuminate, terminal lobule narrowly triangular, obtuse, inside with small longitudinal rib, lateral lobe erect, somewhat rounded; hypochile with strong transverse ridge separates the spur, spurred; spur pointing backwards, broad, on the sides in the basal part saccate, apex dilated, retuse, obtusely 2-lobed, 0.33 cm long, apex 0.28 cm wide. Column contracted below the apex, dorsally convex, 0.2 cm long, without column foot; clinandrium dentate; stelidia oblong. Anther cucullate, transversely ovate, apex broadly rounded, recurved, base not conical-raised, 0.13 cm wide; rostellum sub truncate, as long as the stelidia; stigma obliquely funnel-shaped, lower strongly elongated, somewhat recurved; pollinia not seen; viscidium absent. Ovary cylindric, 6-ribbed, 7 mm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology - Terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 1800 m. Flowering in March in the wild.

Notes -  1. Flowers white with black ornamentation on the tip of the lip.

2. The epithet acuminata refers to acute tip of the lip.

3. Specimen observed: none (only drawing by Schlechter of de Kock 29).

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