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Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 42

Type: Schlechter 16476 (syn B, lost); 18078 (syn B, lost; iso G, L)

Terrestrial, erect, 35-55 cm high. Tuber globose. Leaf long petiolate; blade reniform-cordate, shortly acuminate, slightly angular, 8-12 cm long, below the middle 12-15 cm wide, glabrous on both sides; petiole grooved, 12-20 cm long. Inflorescence straight or nearly so, terete, glabrous, with 3-4 long-clasping, subacute, distant sheaths, usually all below the middle. Rachis laxly 4-7-flowered, secund, erect. Floral bracts pendulous, lanceolate-elliptic, more or less surpassing the pedicel and ovary in length. Flowers pendent. Sepals lanceolate-ligulate, acuminate, somewhat narrowed towards the base, glabrous, 2.8 cm long; lateral sepals oblique. Petals similar to the sepals but a little shorter. Lip in outline broadly elliptic, above the middle 3-lobed, inside sparsely and shortly puberulous, towards the middle pilose, without keels, 2 cm long, between the apices of the lateral lobes 1.8 cm wide; lateral lobes slightly divergent, ovate-triangular, subacute; mid-lobe much larger, semiorbicular, apiculate, margins ciliate-dentate, undulate, c. 0.9 cm long, at the base 1.4 cm wide. Column slender, somewhat dilated towards the apex, in front in the basal half puberulous, 1.2 cm long, clinandrium dorsally trilobulate. Anther semiglobose-cucullate, in front bidentate, glabrous. Ovary with pedicel clavate, glabrous, 6-ribbed, c. 1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)


Sepals and petals yellowish green, lip white with violet veins.

Terrestrial in lowland forest, sometimes in swampy places; 40 to 300 m.

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

distribution in New Guinea

Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

July, September.

  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1915) 182 (identification uncertain)
  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 18, fig. 59
  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 14, 3 (1929) 341
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Nervilieae
  • Section Nervilia
  • Genus Nervilia
  • Species Nervilia macrophylla

Very similar to Nervilia aragoana Gaudich., possibly not distinct.


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Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., drawing R. Schlechter in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 18, fig. 59

Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., column and anther, drawing J.J. Smith, based on Gjellerup 658

Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, based on Gjellerup 658

Nervilia macrophylla

Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., herbarium sheet, Schlechter 18078 (isosyntype specimen L)