Orchids of New Guinea

Tropidia acuminata

Tropidia acuminata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 92

Type: Schlechter 19333 (holo B, lost; iso BO, E, K, L 2x, MO, NSW)

Terrestrial, erect, shrubby, 50-70 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots elongated, flexuose, rather rigid. Stems slender, not or sparsely branched, rigid, except for the basal part many-leaved, entirely covered with high-clasping, striate-veined leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent or patent, elliptic, acuminate, narrowed at the base, glabrous, underneath with 7 main veins, up to 21 by 5.5 cm. Inflorescence terminal, densely several-flowered, short; peduncle flexuose, 1.5-2.5 cm long, with a few small, lanceolate scales. Floral bracts patent, lanceolate, acute, often surpassing the lower flowers, the upper bracts gradually shorter. Flowers erect-patent, not resupinate. Sepals lanceolate, 0.9 cm long, acuminate, at the base outside with minute black scale-hairs. Lateral sepals oblique, connate in basal third, at the apex subfalcate-slightly incurved. Petals obliquely linear-lanceolate, acuminate, a little shorter than the sepals, mid-vein outside thickened, glabrous. Lip at the base cucullate-concave, ovate, 0.8 cm long, near the base 0.4 cm wide, above the middle 0.3 cm wide, acuminate, above the middle inside near the margins on either side with a short lamella, glabrous, mid-vein inside rather thick. Column somewhat terete, slender, glabrous, c. 0.4 cm long; rostellum erect, very small; stigma with a narrow hyaline margin. Ovary cylindrical, with blackish hairs, c. 0.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)