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Ceratostylis pugioniformis

Ceratostylis pugioniformis

Ceratostylis pugioniformis J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 12

Type: Versteeg 1255 (not BO, not L)

Growing in tufts. Rhizome short. Stems erect, terete, 8-12.5 cm long, 0.2-0.25 cm thick, at the base with shortly tubular sheaths. Leaf erect, terete, somewhat acute, above slightly grooved, 2.5-3 cm long, 0.17-0.28 cm, thick; sheath very short, the leaf thinner. Inflorescence many-flowered, capitate, at the base with 0.3 cm long sheaths, peduncles fascicled, thin, 0.2 cm long, 1-flowered. Floral bracts at the base tubular, acute, clasping and surpassing the ovary, 0.3 cm long. Flowers small, in total 0.56 cm long. Sepals in the basal part parallel and adhering, apex recurved, outside appressed pilose. Median sepal linear-oblong, obtuse, in the basal part concave, 3-nerved, 0.35 cm long, about 0.1 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, slightly falcate, obtuse, 3-nerved, 0.35 cm, in total 0.58 cm long, 0.14 cm wide, at the base on one side dilated, mentum pointing backwards, inflated, obovoid-globose, at the base constricted, straight, 0.16 cm long, 0.1 5 cm diam. Petals parallel to the sepals, about linear, apex recurved, acute, in the basal part concave, 1-nerved, 0.34 cm long, 0.05 cm wide. Lip wavy, elongated, short somewhat broadly clawed, lanceolate, above the middle somewhat narrowed, obtuse, in the basal part concave and with 2 slightly puberulous ribs, towards the apex with a third rib, margin minutely ciliolate, apex carnose-thickened above and below convex, in cross section elliptic, in total when flattened 0.5 cm long, 0.1 3 cm wide. Column short, 0.14 cm long, arms elliptic, rounded, outside strongly convex. Anther much shorter than the arms, ovate, in the basal part 2-lobulate. Column-foot pointing backwards, apex incurved, narrow, 0.13 cm long. Ovary pilose, 0.25 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)


Flower brownish red, lip orange yellow.

Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 250 m.

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Papua (Indonesia). See map

distribution in New Guinea

Warm growing epiphyte.

June, September.

  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Podochileae
  • Subtribe Eriinae
  • Genus Ceratostylis
  • Section Ceratostylis
  • Species Ceratostylis pugioniformis
  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 48, t. 17, fig. 55
  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 18, 1 (1935) 29

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Ceratostylis pugioniformis

overview picture

Ceratostylis pugioniformis

Ceratostylis pugioniformis J.J.Sm., drawing J.J. Smith, from Versteeg 1255

Ceratostylis pugioniformis

Ceratostylis pugioniformis J.J.Sm., drawing J.J. Smith, from Docters van Leeuwen 10316