Prev Species: Crepidium macrophyllum

Next Species: Crepidium olivaceum


Crepidium melanophyllum

Crepidium melanophyllum

Crepidium melanophyllum (Schltr.) Szlach., Fragm. Florist. Geobot. Suppl. 3 (1995) 129

Type: Type: Schlechter 19620 (holo B, lost)

Synonyms:

  • Microstylis melanophylla Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 129
  • Malaxis melanophylla (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 24 (1970) 82

Terrestrial, erect, slender, 25-40 cm high. Rhizome short, stem-like; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem short, densely 6-8-leaved, up to 9 cm long, rather thick, terete, glabrous. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate, blade obliquely elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, at the base more or less cuneate, margins usually undulate, glabrous on both sides, 5-8.5 cm long, near the middle 2-3.2 cm wide. Inflorescence straight or nearly so, slender, with a few small, distant, bract-like scales, angular, glabrous; rachis laxly 15-many-flowered, elongated, up to 13 cm long, c. 1.5 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts pendent or deflexed, lanceolate, acute, shorter than the ovary. Flowers patent, glabrous. Sepals elliptic or ovate-oblong, obtuse, almost 0.3 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely linear, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base with long auricles, blade in front above the middle 3-lobed, 0.25 cm long, near the middle 0.3 cm wide; lateral lobes tridentate, the teeth becoming smaller outwards, outer tooth very small, subacute, inner ones falcate-triangular, acute; mid-lobe oblong, obtuse, bifid to near the middle, almost twice surpassing the inner teeth of the lateral lobes two almost exceeding, 0.1 cm long, callus inside hollowed out, horseshoe-shaped, extending from the base of the lip to the middle, decumbent, with an additional 2-legged callus, the legs forming a V-shape, diverging from the centre of the mid-lobe to below the middle of the lip and there vanishing; auricles oblong-ligulate, subfalcate, obtuse, subparallel. Anther reniform-cucullate, obtuse. Ovary with pedicel glabrous, cylindrical, 6-ribbed, 0.45 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)


Leaves opaque deep violet. Flowers olive green with violet-red at the tips, lip in the centre reddish.

Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 1200 m.

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Papua New Guinea. See map

distribution in New Guinea

Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

March, May.

  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 50, fig. 173, as Microstylis melanophylla Schltr.
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Malaxideae
  • Genus Crepidium
  • Section Crepidium
  • Species Crepidium melanophyllum

Sponsored Ads

Crepidium melanophyllum

overview picture

Crepidium melanophyllum

Crepidium melanophyllum (Schltr.) Szlach.(as Microstylis melanophylla Schltr.), drawing R. Schlechter in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 50, fig. 173