Orchids of New Guinea

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Robiquetia ascendens

Robiquetia ascendens Gaudich. in Freyc., Voy. Uranie, Bot. (1826) 426, t. 34

Type: Gaudichaud s.n. (holo P; iso L)

Synonyms:

Saccolabium ascendens (Gaudich.) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (1833) 223
Gastrochilus ascendens (Gaudich.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. (1891) 661
Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 72 (1912) 114
Saccolabium mooreanum Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1893) 64
- Type: Glasnevin cult (Moore) s.n. (X-1892); Lawrence cult. s.n. (XI-1892); Lucas cult. s.n. (XII-1892) (K)
Saccolabium sanderianum Kraenzl. in Rchb.f., Xenia Orchid. 3, 8 (1894) 134, pl. 276, II, 7-14
- Type: Eisgrub cult. s.n.; Wendland cult. s.n.; Sander cult. s.n.
Saccolabium sayerianum F.Muell. & Kraenzl., Bot. Zeitschr. 44 (1894) 253, 45 (1895) 180
- Type: Buerlen 398 (New Guinea, Fly River) (holo B, lost)
Saccolabium bagnolianum F.M.Bailey, Queensland Agric. J. 7 (1900) 350
- Type: Giulianetti s.n. (British New Guinea) (holo BRI)
Saccolabium kerstingianum Kraenzl. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1901) 251
- Type: Kersting 2399 (holo B, lost)

Robust epiphyte; stems more or less horizontal in younger plants or becoming pendent with age, with ascending apex, up to 70 cm long, leafy in upper part, usually unbranched. Leaves 8-20 by 1.8-3 cm, linear-oblong, thick, leathery, apex unequally bilobed. Inflorescence arising near the lowest leaves, usually pendulous, sometimes almost horizontal, 11-20 cm long, a densely many-flowered raceme; rachis occupying apical third. Flowers only slightly opening, up to 2 cm long including the spur. Median sepal 0.5-0.6 by 0.2-0.25 cm, lanceolate-obovate, apex swollen, subacute. Lateral sepals 0.45-0.52 by 0.15-0.2 cm, oblong-obovate, apex swollen, subacute. Petals 0.48-0.55 by 0.3 cm, broadly elliptic, apex swollen, acute. Lip spurred, weakly 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, with swollen margins; mid-lobe 0.3 cm long, porrect, wedge-shaped, very thick, pointed at apex; spur 0.7-1.5 cm long, straight or strongly incurved, funnel-shaped at the base, constricted in the middle part, apical half clavate-oblongoid, strongly laterally flattened. Column 0.2 cm long, thick. (After O’Byrne, 1994)

Colours:

Flower deep red to rose-red or salmon-pink with green tips, sometimes with a white spur, rarely whole flower white.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in lowland and lower montane forest; 26 to 1000 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (Moluccas, New Guinea).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Flowering time in the wild:

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December.

References:

Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 984, as Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 462, as Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 346, fig. 1335, as Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 18, 1 (1935) 76, as Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.
O'Byrne, P., Lowland Orchid. Papua New Guinea (1994) 524, fig., pl., as Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
Subtribe Aeridinae
Genus Robiquetia
Species Robiquetia ascendens

Notes:

This common and attractive lowland orchid is by many orchid growers known under the synonym name Robiquetia mooreana (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.. It can be recognised by the swollen, often green, tips of the sepals and petals.