Species Information - Liparis insectifera

Liparis insectifera Ridl., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. 9 (1916) 163

Type: Kloss s.n. (Camp 11 to 13, 8300 to 10500 ft.) (holo BM)

Synonyms:

• Cestichis insectifera (Ridl.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones, Orchadian 15 (2005) 40
• Stichorkis brevicaulis (Schltr.) Marg., Szlach. & Kulak, Acta Soc. Bot. Pol. 77 (2008) 38
• Liparis alpina P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 700, fig. 245.
  - Type: Balgooy, van 763 (holo L)
• Cestichis alpina (P.Royen) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones, Orchadian 15 (2005) 38

Epiphytic. Rhizome 0.3 cm thick. Pseudobulbs cylindrical, 1.5 cm long, at the base covered with two ovate, acute, papyraceous, veined cataphylls, 2-leaved. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, acute, 4 by 1.5 cm, with 6 raised nerves [only when dried?]; sheath 1 cm long, with several raised nerves. Inflorescence 13 cm long, in the base half rather thick, glabrous, carrying flowers in the upper half; rachis straight, to 14-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate, acute, 0.4 by 0.1 cm. Flowers erect. Sepals linear, obtuse, 0.9 by 0.1 cm. Median sepal erect. Lateral sepals. Petals linear, narrower and shorter than the sepals, 0.7 cm long. Lip oblong, entire, narrowed towards the base, rounded at the apex, indistinctly undulate, shortly obtusely apiculate, 0.6 by 0.3 cm, callus bilobed, carnose, with short, oblong, rounded lobes. Column erect, curved, dilated at the apex, narrowly winged. Ovary and pedicel 2 cm long, erect. (After Ridley, 1916)

Small, erect terrestrial to 15 cm high. Rhizome short. Cataphylls glabrous, the uppermost leaf-like and up to 5 by 1.5 cm. Pseudobulbs c. 1.4 by 0.5 cm, 1-leaved. Leaf patent, coriaceous, glabrous, narrowly elliptic, 4-5.5 by 1-2 cm, falcate-plicate, acute. Inflorescence 9-12 cm long, 6-9-flowered, at the base enveloped by 3-4 broadly ovate, up to 2 by 1.5 cm large, acute, conduplicate scales. Peduncle glabrous, 3-5 cm long, in fruit up to 7 cm long, ribbed. Rachis 6-7 cm long, glabrous. Floral bracts ovate, 0.5-0.9 by 0.2-0.3 cm, caudate-acuminate, auricled at base, 1-nerved, slightly warty on outside near tip. Flowers not resupinate but in some flowers pedicel later twisting and flowers resupinate. Median sepal oblong-ovate, 1.1 by 0.3 cm, truncate, base auricled, 3-nerved, with involute margins, on inside with a flat, broad callus in apical 0.3 cm, 3-nerved, glabrous. Lateral sepals similar to the median sepal but broader and less distinctly auricled at the base, subobtuse, with revolute margins, 3-nerved. Petals glabrous, linear, 1.05 by 0.1 cm, at the base abruptly widened, subacute, 1-nerved, with involute margins. Lip obovate-spathulate in outline, 0.9 by 0.55 cm, constricted in basal third with the margins involute; basal part 0.3 by 0.3 cm, with a median, oblong, 0.15 by 0.1 cm large, slightly 2-lobed, towards the base decurrent callus; constricted part 0.15 by 0.3 cm, on inside with a slightly protruding callus; apical part obovate-orbicular, 0.5 by 0.5 cm, acute, apical margin dentate, entire lip glabrous, 7-nerved at base but up to 13-nerved in apical part. Column sigmoid, 0.6 by 0.1 cm, at apex truncate, 2-winged, on inside narrowly winged on either side, in basal half with two not well marked elongate calli on either side. Anther flattish cucullate, 0.1 by 0.12 cm, distinctly 3-lobed, 2-crested above. Pedicel glabrous, 0.5-0.6 cm long; ovary glabrous, narrowly oblong-obovoid, 0.3 by 0.1 cm, 6-ribbed. Fruit obovoid, 0.9 by 0.5 cm, distinctly 3-winged and with three flat ribs, glabrous. (After van Royen, 1979, as Liparis alpina)

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