Species Information - Cryptostylis arfakensis

Cryptostylis arfakensis J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1913) 553

Type: Gjellerup 1026

Synonyms:

Rhizome short, vertical, young shoots covered with apiculate, prominently veined, 5.2-7 cm long sheaths. Roots thickly carnose. Leaf petiolate, elliptic or subovate, acutely acuminate, base acute, c. 5-nerved, mid-rib grooved above, keeled below, reticulate veined, herbaceous, 12.5-15 by 5.7-6 cm; petiole angular-subterete, channelled above, 8-14 cm long. Inflorescence erect, laxly several-flowered; peduncle terete in the basal part, angular above, 26.5-28 cm long, with c. 5 small, tubular, subulate-acuminate, prominently veined, to 3.5 cm long scales; rachis grooved, 9-15 cm long. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, gradually acuminate, acute, concave, 5-nerved, to 1.75 cm long, the upper ones smaller. Flowers 9-11, not resupinate, c. 3.5 cm wide. Median sepal pointing downwards, margins involute, tubular, linear-lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, fairly acute, 3-nerved, 1.73 cm long, 0.34 cm wide. Lateral sepals widely patent, similar to the median sepal, acute, 1.8 cm long, 0.3 cm wide. Petals patent, linear-lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, apiculate, margins incurved, strongly channelled, 3-nerved, outer nerves short, 0.93-0.97 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Lip erect, somewhat fleshy, base strongly cucullate, clasping the column, glabrous in the middle, margins convex and densely puberulous, upper part convex and papillose, when flattened triangular, hardly constricted between hypochile and epichile, acuminate, obtuse, 1.7 by 1 cm. Column very short, 0.33 cm long, auricles obtuse, somewhat carnose, finely warty. Anther erect, cucullate, ovate, shortly convex-apiculate, 0.24 cm long. Stigma prominent. Ovary 6-grooved, glabrous, 1.3 cm long. Fruit erect, appressed to the rachis, at the base shortly pedicellate-contracted, clavate, strongly 6-ribbed, with the flower attached to it, 3 cm long (immature). (After Smith, 1915).

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