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Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 94

Type: Schlechter 13890 (syn B, lost); 14090 (syn B, lost); 14298 (syn B, lost; K); 14585 (syn B, lost); 14701 (syn B, lost; K)

Terrestrial, erect, 25-40 cm high. Stems unbranched, woody, angular, at the very base covered with tightly clasping striate cataphylls, above laxly leafy. Leaves erect-patent or patent, lanceolate, acute to acuminate, veined, glabrous on both sides, 12-20 cm long, below the middle 2-3.5 cm wide, narrowed at the base, striate, tightly clasping the stem, the upper ones surpassing the inflorescence. Inflorescence usually falcate-patent, distichous, 4-6 cm long. Floral bracts almost overlapping, erect-patent, ovate, acuminate, leaf-like, c. 1 cm long, almost as long as the ovary. Median sepal lanceolate, acuminate, concave, c. 1 cm long, below the middle 0.3 cm wide, glabrous. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate-falcate, acuminate, almost as long as the median sepal. [Petals not described] Lip in outline pandurate, 0.7 cm long, above the concave base 0.3 cm wide, with incurved margins, in front rounded, apiculate, recurved, inside with two thickened lines extending from the middle to the apex. Column terete, towards the stigma a little widened, in front at the base keeled; rostellum erect, shallowly notched. Anther obcordate, acuminate; pollinia 4, the two upper ones much larger than the two, probably sterile, lower ones; stipe linear; viscidium subquadrangular. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1905)


Flowers pale yellowish.

Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest, sometimes in shallow streams close to the beach; 5 to 2180 m.

Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

distribution map

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November.

  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 91
  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 37, fig. 126
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Tropidieae
  • Subtribe Not used
  • Genus Tropidia
  • Species Tropidia disticha

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Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., inforescence with fruits, photo W. Harris

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., inforescence, photo W. Harris

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., inforescence with fruits, photo W. Harris

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., habit and floral analysis, drawing N.H.S. Howcroft & Saya 600

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Mayr 2580

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., drawing R. Schlechter in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 37, fig. 126

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., herbarium sheet, Schlechter 14298 (syntype specimen K), photo copyright the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Tropidia disticha

Tropidia disticha Schltr., herbarium sheet, Schlechter 14701 (syntype specimen K), photo copyright the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew