Glomera aurea Schltr.

Glomera aurea Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1:283 (1912)- Type : Schlechter 18202 (holotype, B lost; isotype K)

 

Growth form Epiphyte, erect or decumbent, branched, up to 50 cm high. Rhizome stem-like, decumbent, creeping, short. Roots filiform, long, flexible, glabrous. Stem laterally compressed, rigid, proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 1.3-1.8 cm long. Leaf linear-lanceolate, erect or erect-patent; apex unequally 2-lobed, both lobes obtuse; base cuneate-narrowed; lamina 4-7.5 cm long, 0.3-0.5 cm in diameter; sheath tight, tubular, densely warty; apex toothed, with glabrous margin. Inflorescences terminal, many-flowered, nodding, secund, 2 cm long, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe not seen; floral bracts thin, transparent. Flowers upright, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, apex apiculate, 0.65 cm long, 0.45 cm wide. Lateral sepals up to near the middle connate, oblong, apex oblique, apiculate, 0.75 cm long, 0.52 cm wide at base, connate part 0.45 cm long. Petal oblong, apex obtuse, apiculate, 0.65 cm long, 0.30 cm wide. Lip subquadrate-ovate, 0.3 cm long, 0.18 cm wide; epichile obtuse; hypochile spurred; spur oblongoid-saccate, apex obtuse, 0.22 cm long, 0.15 cm wide. Column curved, glabrous, 0.15 cm long; clinandrium sublobulate-dentate; stelidia not seen. Anther cucullate, with obtuse projection, in front truncate; rostellum not seen; stigma not seen; pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.18 cm long, 0.07 cm wide; viscidium present. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.65 cm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution - Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology - Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1200-3050 m. Flowering in June, September, October and December in the wild.

Notes -  1. Flowers golden yellow with scarlet at the tip of the lip; anther light brown with white humps.

2. The epithet aurea refers to the golden-yellow color of the flowers (aurea  means golden in Latin)

3. Specimen observed

PNG : Schlechter 18202 (L) ; AMES 112478; Millar & Holttum 15819 (AMES); KJ White 9536 (AMES); AN Millar 37771(AMES)

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