Species Information - Eurycentrum obscurum

Eurycentrum obscurum (Blume) Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 89

Type:

Synonyms:

• Cystorchis obscura Blume, Fl. Javae, n.s., 1 (1858) 74, pl. 37, f. 2
  - Type: Zippel s.n. (New Guinea) (holo L? NOT FOUND)
• Hetaeria obscura (Blume) Miq., Fl. Ned. Indië 3 (1859) 726
• Eurycentrum amblyoceras Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 17 (1921) 368
  - Type: Chalmers s.n. (Cloudy Mts, Papua) (holo B, lost)
• Eurycentrum atroviride J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 347, pl. 44, 10
  - Type: Lam 1162 (lecto L, chosen by Ormerod); 941 (syn BO, L)
• Eurycentrum goodyeroides Ridl., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. 9 (1916) 207
  - Type: Kloss s.n. (Camp 3, 2500 ft.) (holo BM)
• Eurycentrum smithianum Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45 (1911) 393

Stem at the base decumbent, rooting, ascending, erect part 3-7 cm long, 4-8-leaved. Leaves patent, ovate to oblong-ovate, 2.3-5 cm long, 1.35-2.7 cm wide, frequently shortly triangular-contracted at apex, acute or narrowly obtuse, apiculate, at the base broadly rounded or subcuneate, contracted into a short petiole, glabrous, 7-nerved, very laxly reticulate-venose, the mid-vein largest; petiole with sheath patent, large, at the base obliquely funnel-shaped, 1-1.5 cm long. Inflorescence erect, laxly many-flowered, peduncle in the basal part sparsely, above densely pubescent, 7-15 cm long, with 3-4, at the base tubular, acuminate, pubescent scales, rachis glandular-pilose with strongly patent hairs, 4.5-6 cm long. Floral bracts appressed, at the base triangular, long subulate-acuminate, concave, dorsally long pilose, 0.85 cm long, 0.34 cm wide. Flowers distant, erect, 0.65 cm long and wide. Median sepal strongly concave, together with the petals helmet-like, apex recurved, ovate, triangular-acuminate, subacute, in the basal part dorsally sparsely glandular-pilose with backwards pointing hairs, 1-nerved, when flattened 0.4 cm long, 0.24 cm wide. Lateral sepals divergent, appressed to the base of the spur, obliquely triangular, 0.43 cm long, to the front margin 0.55 cm long, 0.23 cm wide, obliquely concave, margin in upper part incurved, tubular-acuminate, in the basal part dorsally sparsely glandular-pilose with backwards pointing hairs, apex dorsally verruculose, 1-nerved. Petals adhering to the median sepal except at the recurved apex, obliquely narrowly oblong, in lower half with unequal sides, obtuse, somewhat irregularly flattened, above minutely cellular-ciliolate, 1-nerved, 0.4 cm long, 0.12 cm wide. Lip to the apex of the ovary 0.38 cm long, with the spur 0.68 cm long, at the base near apex of ovary strongly oblique and adnate to the base of the column, strongly concave, margin in front of column incurved, shortly touching, puberulous, then flattened and forming a transversely short-ovate-triangular, obtuse blade with a triangular, convex disc with obtusely incurved margins, concave, erose, minutely papillose, 0.1 cm long, 0.17 cm wide, spur pointing downwards, forming an obtuse angle with the blade, obliquely oblong, front margin almost straight, back margin below apex curved, near apex somewhat narrowed, obtuse, somewhat laterally compressed, on either side below apex longitudinally hollowed out, in front somewhat longitudinally grooved, largely, except for the dorsal part, irregularly carnose-thickened, below the apex on either side with a sessile, elliptic, at the base obtuse gland, which at the apex is produced into two 2 divergent horns, 3-nerved, to the apex of the ovary 0.48 cm long, dorsally when cut and flattened in total 0.7 cm long, 0.5 cm wide. Column short, curved, strongly dilated in apical part, 0.15 cm long, clinandrium deeply hollow, back margin broadly truncate. Anther cucullate, transverse, subreniform, 0.15 cm wide, at the base bilobulate, apex broadly truncate, connective longitudinally convex-thickened. Rostellum truncate, in the middle shortly elongated. Stigma strongly prominent, conspicuous, transversely quadrangular, margin partly recurved partly incurved. Ovary twisted, 6-grooved, 0.63 cm long, apex contracted and obliquely elongated, glandular-pilose with strongly patent hairs.
(After Smith, 1929, as Eurycentrum atroviride J.J.Sm.)

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