Glomera asperata Schltr.

Glomera asperata Schltr. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58:78 (1922)- Type : Ledermann 12089 (holotype, B lost)

Growth form Epiphyte, rather rigid, branched above the base, erect, up to 40 cm long. Rhizome not seen. Roots filiform, long,  flexible, glabrous. Stem rigid, branched in upper half, proliferously leafed, entirely covered with sheaths. Leaf erect-patent, lanceolate-linear, coriaceous; apex unequally 2 lobe, both lobe obtuse; base slightly attenuate; lamina 5-7.5 cm long, 0.5-0.7 cm wide; sheath tubular, rough-prickly, densely warty; apex with or without tooth. Inflorescences terminal, multi-flowered, nodding, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe elliptic, rostrate, soon falling off; floral bracts elliptic-cucullate. Flowers upright or upside-down, glabrous. Median sepal elliptic, 0.5 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals base saccate-cucullate, connate up to the middle. Petal elliptic, apex obtuse, oblique, slightly shorter than sepal. Lip broadly elliptic, carnose, 0.3 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; epichile obtuse; hypochile spurred; spur semi-ellipsoid, broadly obtuse, ca 0.15 cm long. Column slightly extending beyond the basal third of the lip; clinandrium trilobulate. Anther not seen; pollinia not seen; viscidium absent. Ovary sessile, 0.45 cm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution – Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology – Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2070 m. Flowering in June in the wild.

Notes -  1. Flowers orange-yellow, blade of the lip bright red.

2. The epithet asperata refers to the rough-prickly warts on the leaf sheaths.

3. Specimen observed: none (no photograph, drawing or herbarium found under this species).

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