Glomera grandilabella (P.Royen) J.M.H.Shaw

Glomera grandilabella (P.Royen) J.M.H. Shaw, Orchid Rev. 124 (1314, Suppl.) :36 (2016)

Glossorhyncha grandilabella P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:645 (1979) – Type: Kalkman 4835 (holotype, L)


Growth form Epiphyte, spreading-pendent, much branched, up to 50 cm high. Rhizome 0.3-0.5 cm in diameter. Root filiform, flexible, glabrous, up to 10 cm long. Stem branched, cylindric, glabrous, proliferously leafed, internodes 0.5-2 cm long. Leaf oblong-ovate, subcoriaceous, glabrous, suberect, 11-nerved, midrib shallowly grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 3-5 on either side, flat above, slightly prominent below, with brown dots on both sides; apex unequally 2-lobed, both lobe obtuse or rounded; base subpetiolate; lamina 1.5-4.2 cm long, 0.2-0.6 cm wide; sheath tight, tubular, sparsely warty mainly along ribs, many-ribbed; apex toothed, with bristled margin, bristle 0.1-0.2 cm long, each bristle warty. Inflorescences terminal, one-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe oblong-obovoid, transparent, sparsely warty, mainly on the ribs, with brown dots, 0.7-0.85 cm long, 0.3-0.55 cm wide, 5-nerved, apex obtuse; floral bracts oblong, thin, transparent, with silver dots, 0.75 cm long, 0.45 cm wide, 1-nerved, apex obtuse. Flower upright, glabrous. Median sepal elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 1.05 cm long, 0.35 cm wide, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts; apex obtuse, conoid-apiculate. Lateral sepal oblong-ovate, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, 1-1.03 cm long, 0.3 cm wide; apex obtuse, conoid-apiculate; base slightly connate, obliquely widened. Petals elliptic-obovate, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, glabrous, with silver spots, 0.8-1 cm long, 0.30-0.35 cm wide; apex obtuse. Lip ovate-cordate, adnate to the base of the column, slightly 3-lobed, glabrous, 0.6-0.73 cm long, 0.75-0.9 cm wide; epichile obtuse, with silver spots, 7-nerved; hypochile spurred; spur subulate, flattened, 0.7-0.8 cm long, apex 2-lobed. Column straight, without column foot, 0.20 cm long, 0.15 cm wide; clinandrium crenulate. Anther cucullate, retuse, base 2-lobed, connective at base umbonate, 0.1 cm long, 0.12 cm wide; pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.05 cm long. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 3-ribbed, 0.8 cm long. Capsule not seen.

Distribution –Papua New Guinea.

Habitat and Ecology – Epiphyte in upper montane forest of Mt. Kerewa.  Altitude 3100 m. Flowering in July in the wild.

Notes - 1. Flowers greenish white with green lip, sweet scented.

 2. The epithet grandilabella refers to the large lip of the flowers.

3. Specimen observed: L0061272.

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