Species Information - Appendicula topensabe

Appendicula topensabe Ormerod, Checkl. Papuasian Orch. (2017) 29.

Type: Schodde 1436 (holo A; iso CANB, L).

Synonyms:

Epiphytes. Rhizome not seen. Roots terete, slender, scattered on lower half of stem. Stem terete, lower part laxly branched, near the apex densely branched, sublaxly to densely leafy, to 69 by 0.1-0.2 cm; branches to 18 cm long. Leaves on main stem absent, on branches ligulate, 0.2-0.4 cm apart, to 2 by 0.15 cm; leaf sheaths tubular, truncate and with a gap opposite the leaf axis; apex acute. Inflorescence terminal, flexuous to fractiflex, to 1.2 cm long; peduncle 0.4-0.5 cm long; rachis 0.7 cm long; floral bracts to 0.6 by 0.3 cm, entire, upper ones 3-lobed and shield-shaped, with a long lanceolate point. Flowers 6, lax, flowering in succession. Pedicel and ovary club-shaped, 0.3 cm long. Median sepal ovate, concave, 0.32 by 0.22 cm; apex obtuse; 1-nerved. Lateral sepals connate for 0.25 cm, broadly obliquely ovate; apex acute; 1-nerved, 0.35 (along upper margin) or 0.49 (along lower margin) by 0.3 cm; mentum broadly elliptic, rounded, 0.15 by, 0.22-0.25 cm. Petals oblong, 0.3 by 0.12 cm; apex acute; 1-nerved. Lip spatulate-cuneate, 0.42-0.43 by 0.3 cm; midlobe transversely oblong, 0.1 by 0.22 cm; callus spatulate-cuneate, at the base obtuse, in lower half semi-tubular; apex truncate-emarginate, with an obtuse apiculus. Column short, 0.2 cm long; column foot C-shaped, 0.2 cm long. (After Ormerod 2017)

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