Glomera verrucifera Schltr.

Glomera verrucifera Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni. Veg. Beih. 1:286 (1912)- Type: Schlechter 18171 ( holotype B, isotype AMES, BO, K, L)

 

Growth form Epipythe, erect or ascending, shrubby, up to 40 cm high. Rhizome not seen. Roots filiform, flexible, glabrous. Stem more or less branched, compressed, proliferously leafed, entirely covered by leaf-sheaths. Leaf ligulate, glabrous; apex unequally 2-lobed, both lobes obtuse; lamina  5.5-9 cm long, 1.2-1.5 cm wide; sheath tight clasping, densely covered with large grain-like warts, 1.5-2.5 cm long; apex toothed, with glabrous margin, margins forming thickened warty ring. Inflorescences terminal, multi-flowered, capitate, nodding, suborbicular, 2 cm in diameter, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe broad, apiculate; floral bracts not seen. Flowers upright, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, 1 cm long, 0.25 cm wide. Lateral sepals oblique, narrowly obtuse, fused up to below the apex, 0.81 cm long, 0.33 cm wide for both sepals; mentum short, obtuse. Petal obliquely ligulate, obtuse, 0.78 cm long, 0.18 cm wide. Lip elliptic, 0.3 cm long; epichile obtuse; hypochile spurred; spur subglobose, shorter and broader than the lip. Column short, glabrous; clinandrium 3-lobed; stelidia not seen. Anther cucullate, obtuse projection, broadly obtuse, glabrous, 0.24 cm long, 0.19 wide; rostellum not seen; pollinia not seen; stigma broad, subquadrate; viscidium not seen. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.7 cm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution – Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology – Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1200. Flowering in September in the wild.

Notes - 1. The color of the flowers has not been recorded.

2. The epithet verrucifera refers to the warty leaf sheaths of the species (verrucose- means warty and fera means bearing in Latin).

3. Specimen observed: Schlechter 18171 

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