Orchids of New Guinea

Prev Taxon: Genus Plocoglottis section Porphyrophyllos

Poaephyllum fimbriatum

Poaephyllum fimbriatum Schuit.& de Vogel, Malesian Orchid J. 9 (2012, publ. 2011) 19, fig. 19-21

Type: Leiden cult. 20031537 (leg. National Capital Botanic Garden Port Moresby / W.K. Harris 1486) (holo LAE; iso L)

Stems very slender, to more than 45 cm long, across the leaf- sheaths 0.2 cm diam., elongated, tufted, covered by the leaf-sheaths, erect to arching, many-leaved. Leaves patent, linear, 3–4 by 0.43 cm; sheaths overlapping, clasping the stem; apex obtuse, minutely bidentate. Inflorescences lateral, c. 1 cm long, filiform, c. 3-flowered, flowers opening in succession; peduncle c. 0.6 cm long; floral bract triangular, 0.13 cm long, acute. Flower opening widely, resupinate, c. 0.7 cm across. Median sepal ovate-oblong, 0.34 by 0.25 cm; apex subacute; 3-nerved; keeled along mid-nerve in apical half. Lateral sepals obliquely deltoid, 0.4 by 0.25 cm; apex acute; 3-nerved; keeled along mid-nerve in apical half. Petals linear-oblong, 0.33 by 0.08 cm; lateral margins in apical half finely irregularly fringed; apex obtuse. Lip weakly 3-lobed, strongly concave at the base, when spread 0.38 by 0.2 cm; in the basal part with a rounded, oblongoid callus; between the side lobes in the centre more or less pubescent; lateral lobes short, truncate, with the front margins densely irregularly fimbriate; midlobe deflexed, almost semi-orbicular, 0.17 by 0.17 cm, its basal margins slightly fringed, its apex with a large rounded callus. Column stout, 0.17 cm long, at an angle of about 135 degrees with the ovary, pubescent along the sides of the stigma or also below the stigma; column wings short, subquadrangular, with irregularly dentate margins; rostellum transversely rectangular; stigma small; column-foot almost cup-shaped, at right angles to the ovary, c. 0.1 cm long, with erect margins. Anther quadrangular, 0.08 cm wide; apex irregularly retuse to deeply emarginate, glabrous; pollinia pyriform, of unequal size, most 0.05 cm long, two larger ones 0.07 cm long. Fruit not seen.
(after Schuiteman & de Vogel, 2012, publ. 2011)

Colours:

Sepals and petals pale green, lip creamy white, column pale green, anther pale purple, pollinia deep yellow.

Habitat:

Low growing epiphyte in rainforest. Altitude 440–700 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea)

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (Gulf and Milne Bay Provinces); see map

Cultivation:

Warm growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

May.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Podochileae
Subtribe Eriinae
Genus Poaephyllum
Species Poaephyllum fimbriatum