Glomera caespitosa (P.Royen) J.M.Shaw

Glomera caespitosa (P.Royen) J.M.H. Shaw, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:572(1979) – Type: Hartley 11212 (holotype, L)

 
Growth form Epiphyte, much branched, densely bushy, up to 25 cm high. Rhizome 0.5-1 mm in diameter. Root filiform, up to 8 cm long, flexible, glabrous. Stem branched, cylindric, glabrous, proliferously leafed, internodes 0.25-0.45 cm long. Leaf lanceolate, patent, subcoriaceous, glabrous, 5-nerved, midrib grooved above, prominent below, with 2 lateral nerves on either side of midrib innermost close to midrib and prominent above only, outer ones prominent on underside only, with brown spots underside only, margin faintly irregularly wavy; apex obtuse, sulcatebase narrowed;  lamina 0.4-1.1 cm long, 0.1-0.2 cm wide; sheath tight, tubular, punctate, without warts or very rarely with a few scattered warts; apex toothed, blackish color, with black bristled margin, bristles 0.05-0.15 cm long, straight or flexuose, with a few warts, few-ribbed. Inflorescences terminal, one-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe widely orbicular, tubular, transparent, glabrous, 0.4-0.62 cm long, 0.25-0.50 cm wide, 7-5-nerved, apex obtuse, apiculate, midrib slightly crested at tip and surpassing tip of bract, glabrous, with brown dots; floral bracts ovate, thin, transparent, apex acute, with brown dots, 0.60 cm long, 0.44 cm wide, 1-nerved. Flower upside down, slightly pendulous. Median sepal elliptic-ovate, 3-nerved, glabrous, with brown dots, 0.5-0.54 cm long, 0.14-0.3 cm wide; apex obtuse; base oblique. Lateral sepal ovate, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, with brown dots, 0.50 cm long, 0.25 cm wide; apex obtuse, cucullate, midrib crested; base shortly connate. Petals oblong, glabrous, 3-nerved, with brown dots, 0.52 cm long, 0.1 cm wide; apex obtuse. Lip rhombic-cordate, slightly 3-lobed, adnate to the base of the column, 0.2 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; epichile obtuse, 5-nerved, with brown glands in the small part of the apical part; hypochile spurred; spur glabrous, sac-like, 0.35 cm long, 0.75 cm wide, rounded, apex obtuse. Column curved, 0.2 cm long, 0.15 cm wide, without column foot;  clinandrium dentate-crenate; rostellum broadly 2-lobed. Anther cucullate-kidney shaped, 0.12-.15 cm long, 0.1 cm wide, retuse at either end, connective umbonate in basal part; pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.05 cm long. Ovary sigmoid, clavate, 0.4-0.43 cm long, glabrous, 3-ribbed. Capsule not seen.                                                                                                                           

Distribution –Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology - Epiphyte in upper montane forest on mount Salawaket. Altitude 3048 m. Flowering in January in the wild.

Notes - 1. Flowers white.

 2. The epithet caespitosa refers to the tufted growth habit..

4. Specimen observed: L0061267.

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