Orchids of New Guinea

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Mediocalcar pygmaeum

Mediocalcar pygmaeum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 233

Type: Schlechter 19708 (holo B, lost; lecto K, chosen by Schuiteman 1997; iso AMES, BO, L)

Synonyms:

Mediocalcar pygmaeum Schltr. var. altigenum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 234
- Type: Schlechter 18746 (holo B, lost; lecto AMES; iso BM, E)
Mediocalcar sigmoideum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 234
- Type: Schlechter 19616 (holo B, lost)
Mediocalcar crassifolium J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1913) 559
- Type: Gjellerup 1089 (holo BO; iso L)

Roots densely covered with root hairs, 0.5-1 mm thick. Rhizome creeping, sparsely to frequently branching, 1-1.5 mm thick. Cataphylls 5-11, subacute to acute, keeled, glabrous. Pseudobulbs largely adnate to the rhizome, 3-20 mm apart, ellipsoid to ovoid, base more or less elongated, 3-10 mm long, 2.5-4 mm across, enveloping or sometimes clasping the rhizome, free top 1-5 mm long. Leaves two, sometimes three per pseudobulb, sessile to shortly petiolate, elliptic to broadly elliptic (index 2-3.8), 1-2 cm by 4-6.5 mm; petiole less then 1 mm long; margins subentire to crenulate; apex rounded, bilobulate, with the mucro about as long as the lobules; coriaceous to carnose. Inflorescences solitary or in pairs, synanthous, at the base with an inconspicuous scale 1 mm long. Peduncle 3-12 mm long, at the apex with a triangular bract 1 mm long. Pedicel and ovary 9-10 mm long. Flowers narrowly urceolate, slightly oblique, 8-9 mm long. Synsepalum c. 9 mm long and c. 12.5 mm wide when cut open and flattened; free tips subpatent to reflexed, 3 mm long, obtuse. Lateral sepals smooth or keeled. Petals linear to oblanceolate (index 6.6) 8 by 1.2 mm.; apex acute; 1-nerved. Lip 8 by 3.5 mm in natural position, the blade broadly ovate when flattened; claw more or less sigmoid, 4.6 by c. 2 mm, auricles inconspicuous; apex acute, straight; margins erect, clasping the column; spur cucullate to shortly saccate, c. 1 mm deep. Column clavate, 5.2 mm long; foot incurved, c. 1.5 mm long. Fruit not seen. (After Schuiteman, 1997)

Colours:

Flowers red, orange or orange-yellow with yellow, yellowish green or green tips. Pseudobulbs yellowish green, leaves olive-green.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in montane forest; 1200-2850 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Cool growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.

Flowering time in the wild:

January, April, May, June, July, November, December.

References:

Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1915) 260, t. 94, fig. 160, as Mediocalcar crassifolium J.J.Sm.
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 86, fig. 316
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 86, fig. 317, as Mediocalcar sigmoideum Schltr.
Schuiteman, A., Orchid Monogr. 8 (1997) 59, fig. 19
Schuiteman, A. & J.F. Wanma. New and noteworthy Orchid Species from the Arfak Mountains, West Papua Province, Indonesia. Malesian Orchid Journal 20 (2017) 88, fig. 28-29

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Podochileae
Subtribe Eriinae
Genus Mediocalcar
Species Mediocalcar pygmaeum

Notes:

A dwarf, long creeping species with pairs (more rarely triplets) of very small, elliptic to broadly elliptic leaves. Mediocalcar stevenscoodei is like an enlarged version of this.