Species Information - Cleisostoma clemensiae

Cleisostoma clemensiae Ormerod, Orchadian 16 (2008 ) 82, fig.

Type: M.S. Clemens 12203A (holo AMES).

Synonyms:

Stems erect or becoming erect from a decumbent base, slightly compressed, oval in cross-section, leafy near the apex, concealed throughout by leaf sheaths, 4.0-26.2 by 0.3-0.6 cm. Leaves elliptic, oblong to ligulate, 4.5-15.5 by 1.7-3.1 cm; margins entire to minutely denticulate; apex evenly rounded to obliquely truncate to inequally obtusely bilobed; thickly coriaceous; midnerve carinate below. Inflorescence erect, paniculate, rarely racemose, to ca. 34 cm long; peduncle 5.5-16.7 cm long, with 1 or 2 tubular sheathing scales 0.55-0.60 cm long; panicle 7.0-18.5 cm long, 1-6 branched, branches patent to erect, each 3-8 cm long, laxly partly sequentially 5-14 flowered; floral bracts broadly ovate, acute, 0.2 by 0.2 cm. Pedicel and ovary 0.3-0.35 cm long. Median sepal broadly elliptic, 0.5 by 0.33-0.34 cm; apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely obovate-elliptic, 0.6 by 0.33 cm; apex subacute. Petals oblong, 0.47 by 0.18 cm; apex acute. Lip spurred, 3-lobed; spur ellipsoid-conical, 0.34 cm long dorsally, with obtuse apex; back wall callus bifurcate, ventrally pubescent, sealing the spur entrance by its proximity to the front wall callus but movable so entry can be gained; behind the back wall callus with a transverse membrane connected to each side of the spur and the back of the callus that acts like a spring; front wall callus fused to the lateral lobes, lunate (viewed from above), upper half papillose to pubescent; lateral lobes obliquely rectangular-deltate, 0.22 by c. 0.1 cm in the middle, 0.15 cm wide near the apex, with subacute apex; midlobe fleshy, oblong lanceolate (viewed from above) , 0.4 by 0.2 cm, with obtuse apex, basally with a fleshy obliquely triangular medial callus. Column semi-cylindric, 0.28 cm long, basally dilated to form a ‘foot’ ca. 1 mm long; rostellum very short, bifid; anther cap and pollinarium not seen.
(after Ormerod 2008)

---