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Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 13 (1914) 53

Type: Pulle 993 (holo L)

Synonyms:

  • Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. elatior J.J.Sm. in L.S.Gibbs, Phytogeogr. Fl. Arfak Mts. (1917) 106
    - Type: Gibbs 5659; 5665; 5711; 6139 (syntypes BM)
  • Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. longicalcarata J.J.Sm. in L.S.Gibbs, Phytogeogr. Fl. Arfak Mts. (1917) 106
    - Type: Gibbs 5685; 5686; 5687; 5988; 6014; 6140 (syntypes BM)

Flowering plant 9.5-23 cm tall. Rhizome short; roots few, thick, villose. Sterile shoot 2-leaved, with a few acuminate cataphylls at the base. Leaves erect, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, at the apex narrowed or subacuminate, at the base weakly petiolate-narrowed, 2.75-3.75 cm long, when dried 0.5-1.1 cm wide. Flowering shoot erect, laxly several-flowered, at the base densely covered with cataphylls and with one or two elliptic leaves similar to those on the sterile shoot; peduncle 7-13.5 cm long; peduncle-scales small, 4-7, distant, not tubular, appressed, with the apex erect-patent, oblong-ovate, acuminate, very minutely finely erose-denticulate, concave, to 1.5-2 cm long, the upper ones similar to the floral bracts; rachis 3.75-6.25 cm long. Floral bracts laxly appressed, oblong-elliptic, acuminate, very minutely finely erose-denticulate, concave, 3-nerved, outer nerves 3-forked, along the mid-rib dorsally prominently, 1.1 by 0.4 cm. Flowers 7-12, erect-patent, in rehydrated herbarium material 1.5 cm long. Median sepal ovate-orbicular, obtuse, concave, in the apical part very minutely finely erose-denticulate, dorsally with 3 distinctly prominent nerves, 0.53 by 0.52 cm. Lateral sepals deflexed, almost parallel, slightly falcate-divergent, obliquely oblong, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, at the base shortly cuneate, strongly obliquely convex, especially along the inner margin strongly recurved, at the apex very minutely finely erose-denticulate, the margins otherwise irregular, dorsally with 3 prominent nerves, 0.7-0.73 by 0.26-0.28 cm. Petals erect, obliquely ovate-triangular, subfalcate, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, retuse, 3-nerved, the outer nerves forked, just above the base 4-nerved, 0.58-0.6 by 0.33-0.36 cm. Lip entire, spurred; blade deflexed, at the apex slightly incurved, at the base slightly suborbicular-dilated elongated-triangular, obtuse, convex, somewhat fleshy, 0.68 cm by 0.27 cm; spur pendulous, probably subcylindrical, not clavate, obtuse, as long as the ovary, 1 cm long. Column 0.3 cm long; auricles slightly incurved, at the base appressed to the thecae, rounded, outside convex, finely warty; rostellum broad, low, truncate; stigma transverse. Anther erect, broad, deeply obtusely bifid; thecae distant, at the base divergent, clavate. Ovary twisted, 6-grooved, glabrous, 1 cm long. (After Smith, 1915)


Flower green.

Terrestrial in subalpine grassland, Astelia bogs and montane forest; 1800 to 3650 m.

Malesia (New Guinea).

Papua (Indonesia). See map

distribution map

Cool growing terrestrial, requires light position.

February, August, December.

  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1915) 177, t. 55, fig. 90
  • Royen, P. van, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 115, fig. 52
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Orchidoideae
  • Tribe Orchideae
  • Subtribe Orchidinae
  • Genus Platanthera
  • Section Mecosa
  • Species Platanthera elliptica

Sponsored Ads

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Pulle 993

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., bract and lip, drawing J.J. Smith, from Pulle 993

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Gibbs 5602

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., column, drawing J.J. Smith, from Pulle 993

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. elatior J.J.Sm., column and lip, drawing J.J. Smith, from Gibbs 5711

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. elatior J.J.Sm., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Gibbs 5711

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. longicalcarata J.J.Sm., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Gibbs 5696

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., habit & floral analysis, drawing P. van Royen in Alpine Flora of New Guinea 2 (1979) fig. 52, based on Brass 9013 (A & B) and redrawn after Smith (C - G)

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., flower analysis, drawing Jenny Renz in J. Orchid Soc. India 1, 1-2 (1987) 25, fig. 2g-h

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm., herbarium sheet, Pulle 993 (holotype specimen L)

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. elatior J.J.Sm., herbarium sheet, Gibbs 6139 (isosyn BO) (syntype specimen BO)

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. longicalcarata J.J.Sm., herbarium sheet, Gibbs 5685 (syntype specimen BO)

Platanthera elliptica

Platanthera elliptica J.J.Sm. var. longicalcarata J.J.Sm., herbarium sheet, Gibbs 5988 (syntype specimen BO)