Orchids of New Guinea

Ophioglossella chrysostoma

Ophioglossella chrysostoma Schuit. & Ormerod, Kew Bull. 53 (1998) 743, fig. 1

Type: Reeve 647 (holo K, spirit material; iso AMES, CBG, E, K, L, LAE)

Roots several from the basal part of the stem, glabrous, not branching, 0.15-0.25 cm thick. Stem unbranched, patent, 2.5-10 cm long, densely 4- to 8-leaved. Leaves obliquely elliptic to linear-elliptic, subfalcate, 2.5-12 by 0.6-2 cm, acute-acuminate, apex unequally bidentate. Inflorescence patent, 7.5-12 cm long, peduncle somewhat shorter than the rachis; rachis slightly flexuose, angular, 7-13-flowered. Floral bracts patent, ovate, 0.28-0.5 cm long, acute. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Median sepal elliptic, obtuse, 0.9 by 0.49 cm. Lateral sepals patent, obliquely broadly ovate, obtuse, 0.83 by 0.6 cm. Petals porrect, narrowly obovate-oblong, slightly oblique, obtuse, apex minutely irregularly denticulate, 0.78 by 0.3 cm. Lip 3-lobed, glabrous, strongly concave in the centre, 0.55 by 0.36 cm, at the base with a very short claw (0.3 mm long) hinged to the top of the column-foot, in the centre with two parallel, 0.13 cm long calli; lateral lobes erect, ovate-oblong, rounded, 0.34 by 0.27 cm, at 0.13 cm above the base of the lip connected by a low transverse septum, each of the lateral lobes connected to the midlobe by a conspicuous longitudinal lamella; midlobe abruptly erect, elliptic, obtuse, 0.4 by 0.29 cm, along the median with a narrow crest from the base to a little below the apex, sulcate abaxially. Column slender, 0.67 cm long, 0.26 cm wide near the apex, curved, somewhat dilated to the top, in front near the base with two longitudinal ridges; foot making an angle of about 120 degrees with the stalk of the column, 0.25 cm long. Stigma large, suborbicular. Rostellum elongated, furcate, 0.14 cm long. Anther rostrate, 0.25 by 0.17 cm; stipe narrowly obtriangular, 0.22 cm long; viscidium broadly elliptic, 0.6 mm long. Pollinia 4, the two larger ones 1 by 0.8 mm, the two smaller ones 0.8 by 0.6 mm. Pedicel and ovary c. 0.7 cm long, terete, curved, glabrous. Fruit not seen. (After Schuiteman & Ormerod, 1998)

Colours:

Sepals and petals white suffused with purple, becoming pink (buds much darker). Lip whitish, lobes rich purple, calli and central concavity golden yellow. Column and anther whitish. Pollinia white.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in montane forest; 800 to 2275 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Intermediate to cool growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

May.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
Subtribe Aeridinae
Genus Ophioglossella
Species Ophioglossella chrysostoma

Notes:

With its nicely coloured flowers this is almost like a miniature Phalaenopsis species, but it is probably more closely allied to Sarcochilus and Dryadorchis. It is widespread in Papua New Guinea but appears to occur sporadically.