Orchids of New Guinea

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Crepidium tubulosum

Crepidium tubulosum (J.J.Sm.) Szlach., Fragm. Florist. Geobot. Suppl. 3 (1995) 133

Type: Wichmann Exp., Djibdja 133 (Mt. Sinagoi) (holo BO)

Synonyms:

Microstylis tubulosa J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 5 (1907) 1
Malaxis tubulosa (J.J.Sm.) Ames, Orchidaceae 5 (1915) 68
Pseudoliparis tubulosa (J.J.Sm.) Szlach. & Marg., Adansonia 21 (1999) 277

Plant 20—42 cm tall, slender, and erect. Rhizome very short. Leafy stem fusiform, covered by leaf petioles and sheaths, 3.5—5 by 0.8—1 cm. Leaves c. 5; petiole erect, 0.7—1.5 by 0.5—1 cm wide when spread; leaf sheath (0.8)l.5-..2.5(28) by 0.5—1.2 cm; leaf blade oblique, oblong-ovate to broadly lanceolate, 4—12 by 2.3—5 cm; apex mucronate; margins undulate; 3—5-nerved, main nerves prominent below. Inflorescence dense many-flowered, 28—37 cm long; raceme about 20 cm long; peduncle 12—17 cm long. Sterile bract usually 1, erect, lanceolate, attenuate; apex acuminate; l-nerved. Floral bracts recurved, lanceolate, 0.15—0.28 by 0.04—0.08 cm; apex acuminate; 1-nerved. Pedicel c. 0.5 cm long; ovary c. 0.27 cm long; sinuate. Flowers 0.65—0.78 by 0.4—0.48 cm wide when spread. Median sepal convex, oblong-elliptic, 0.42—0.46 by 0.23—0.26 cm; apex obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate, oblique ovate, 0.28—0.3 by 0.23—0.26 cm; base slightly obcordate; apex minutely acute. Petals erect or often bent backwards, slightly oblique, asymmetrically lanceolate, narrowed in apical half, 0.35—0.38 by 0.11—0.13 cm; apex obtuse to subacute. Lip about orbicular to elliptic in outline 0.38—0.42 by 0.35—0.38 cm wide when spread; lamina 0.19—0.22 by with recurved margins and almost semi-circular apex, lamellae parallel, 0.02—0.035 cm high, 0.03-0.04 cm thick, continuing to lamina apex, area between lamellae flat and narrow; auricles subparallel, falcate, triangular, 0.18—0.2 by 0.11—0.13 cm; apex obtuse.Column erect, c. 0.2 by 0.05—0.12 cm; appendage on upper half, erect cone-like, c. 0.02 by 0.04—0.05 cm; staminodes folded back from anther, at most as long as the anther, oblong, c. 0.04 by 0.04-0.05 cm, its distal margins obliquely narrowing. Anther oblong obcordate, 0.03—0.04 by 0.025—0.035 cm; rostellum abbreviate, triangular, its top obtuse. Fruit oblong-obovate.
(after Margonska, 2005)

Colours:

Leaves green. Flowers pale greenish yellow, lip pale ochrish yellow. Column very dark green, paler green near the base, tooth green. Anther green with paler margin. Pollinia pale yellow.
Leafy stem green. Leaf petiole pale green; leaf sheath pale greenish; blade green, below paler grey-green. Inflorescence bright green. Floral bracts green. Pedicel and ovary green to greenish- yellow. Flowers pale yellowish-green; lip pale olive-ochre to ochre, sometimes with violet tinge. Column pale greenish-yellow; staminodes deep green. Anther bright green, margins paler; pollinia pale yellow. Fruit fawn to yellowish.
(after Margonska, 2005)

Habitat:

Terrestrial in primary lowland and lower montane forest, in leaf litter on humus. Altitude 100-1000 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia): Jayapura Province and Rouffaer River; see map
Jayapura Province

Cultivation:

Warm to intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

Flowering time in the wild:

June, July, August.

References:

Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 35, t. 11, fig. 36, as Microstylis tubulosa J.J.Sm.
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 1 (1913) 16, as Microstylis tubulosa J.J.Sm.
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 18, 1 (1935) 19, as Microstylis tubulosa J.J.Sm.
Margońska, H. B., Materials towards a revision of the genus Pseudoliparis (Orchidaceae, Malaxidinae). 3. Section Pseudoliparis (2005) Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 267—291, fig. 1-17, as Pseudoliparis tubulosa (J.J.Sm.) Szlach. & Marg.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Malaxideae
Genus Crepidium
Section Pseudoliparis
Species Crepidium tubulosum

Notes:

Crepidium tubulosum seems closely related to P. breviscapa and P. brachycatilos from which it differs mainly in the oblong-elliptic median sepal, the entire, c. elliptic to orbicular lip, and the nearly semi-orbicular tip of the lip. The most characteristic features of this species are the shape of petals, lip and column, particularly its staminodes.
(after Margonska, 2005)