Glomera gamosepalata P. Royen

Glomera gamosepalata P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:510 (1979)- Type: Brass 9073 (holotype, L)

 

Growth form Terrestrial, small, erect, growing in dense masses, up to 20 cm high. Rhizome ca. 1 mm in diameter. Roots filiform, flexible, glabrous. Stem cylindrical, slightly compressed, proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 0.7-1.2 cm long. Leaf lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate, patent, coriaceous, densely papillate and scabrous above, glabrous below, midrib grooved above, hardly to distinctly prominent below, margins membranous, irregularly denticulate-erose; apex obtuse; lamina 1-2.8 cm long, 0.25-0.4 cm wide; sheath tubular, many-ribbed, transversely warty mainly on apical part, lesser in lower parts; apex toothed, with glabrous margin. Inflorescences terminal, 10-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe, with peduncle, peduncle glabrous, compressed, ribbed, 0.2-0.3 cm long. Spathe ovate, scattered warty on ribs and surface, many-nerved, midrib crested, apex obtuse, 1.1-1.7 cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm wide; floral bracts transparent, thin, broadly ovate to obovate, subreniform, falcate, many-nerved, midrib slightly crested near apex only, apex acute. Flowers upright, glabrous. Median sepal elliptic-ovate or ovate, glabrous, apex obtuse, apiculate, base connate to lateral sepals, 0.55-0.7 cm long, 0.035-0.05 cm wide. Lateral sepals free part slightly warty at apex only, broadly ovate, oblique, midrib ensiform at tip and elongate past tip of sepals, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, apex acute, 0.5 cm long, 0.35 cm wide; mentum enveloping the spur of the lip, apex rounded, 0.4 cm long, 0.3 cm wide. Petal ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, slightly oblique, 3-nerved, apex obtuse, 0.5 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Lip triangular-cordate, 3-nerved, 0.2 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; epichile obtuse or short obtusely acuminate, thickened at tip; hypochile margin folded upwards and enveloping base of column, spurred; spur broadly cylindrical, apex rounded, 0.4 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Column short, 0.2 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; clinandrium not seen; stelidia triangular, 0.05-0.1 cm long, acute. Anther kidney-shaped-cucullate, 2-lobed, base and apex retuse, connective umbonate at base, 0.12 cm long, 0.15 cm wide; pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.05 cm long; rostellum not seen; stigma not seen; viscidium not seen. Ovary ellipsoid, glabrous, 3-ribbed, 0.5 cm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution – Indonesia.

Habitat and Ecology – Terrestrial in upper montane forests along Lake Habbema. Altitude 3225 m. Flowering season not known.

Notes -  1. Flowers greenish.

2. The epithet gamosepalata refers to the joined lateral sepals of the flower (gamo means united or joined, and sepalata means sepallike in Latin).

3. Specimen observed: Brass 9073

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