Glomera manicata J.J.Sm.

Glomera manicata J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39:15 (1910) –Type: von Rӧmer 1325; 1328 (holotype BO)

 

Growth form Epiphyte. Rhizome not seen. Roots filiform, long, flexible, glabrous. Stem cylindrical, straight proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 0.45 cm long, 0.24 cm in diameter. Leaf narrowly oblong-ovate, patent or widely patent, sometimes recurved, midrib grooved above, not prominent below, above on either side of the midrib convex, margin very minutely crenulate-crisped, carnose; apex unequally 2-lobed, both lobes obtuse; base rounded; lamina 1.4-2.3 cm long, 0.75-0.8 cm wide; sheath tubular, surpassing the internodes, covered part smooth, exposed past strongly warty; apex without tooth, recurved, with bristled margin, bristles 0.2 cm long. Inflorescences terminal, many-flowered, capitate, dense, recurved, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe large, concave, warty, 1.1 cm long;  floral bracts not seen. Flowers upright, glabrous. Median sepal ovate-triangular, strongly concave, 3-nerved, apex obtuse, mucronate, 0.57 cm long, 0.35 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-triangular, 3-prominent nerves, 2 indistinct nerves, apex mucronate, base connate, clasping the spur, 0.56 cm long. Petal broadly subelliptic, strongly concave, 3-nerved, apex obtuse, base widened, 0.5 cm long, 0.3 cm wide. Lip adnate to the base of the column, blade 0.23 cm long, saddle-shaped, minute, porrect, carnose, strongly convex above with reflexed margins, when flattened transversely elliptic-weakly 5-angled, 0.08 cm long; epichile obtuse, with brown glands; hypochile base concave, thicker than wall of the spur, spurred; spur pointing downwards, obliquely elliptic-obovoid, apex rounded, in front straight. Column basal half adnate to the lip, 0.18 cm long; clinandrium bidentate; stelidia not seen. Anther not seen; rostellum broadly retuse, broad; stigma not seen; pollinia not seen; viscidium not seen. Ovary cylindrical, 6-ribbed, glabrous. Capsule not seen.

Distribution – Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology - Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2577-3600 m. Flowering in March, June, October, and December in the wild.

Notes -  1. Flowers white with a red tip of the lip.

2. The epithet manicata refers to the thickly hairy spathe of the species (manicate means thickly hairy in Latin).

3. Specimen observed: von Rӧmer 1325; 1328.

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