Orchids of New Guinea

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Nervilia punctata

Nervilia punctata (Blume) Makino, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 16 (1902) 199

Synonyms:

Pogonia punctata Blume, Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. 1 (1849) 32
- Type: Korthals 653 (Sumatra) (syn L); Kuhl & van Hasselt s.n. (syn L)
Aplostellis punctata (Blume) Ridl., Fl. Malay Penins. 4 (1924) 204
Nervilia maliana Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 39
- Type: Schlechter 18365 (holo B, lost)
Nervilia punctata (Blume) Makino var. papuana J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 340
- Type: Bogor cult. (Branderhorst) s.n. (holo BO)

Basionym: Pogonia punctata

Leaf petiolate, cordate-reniform, c. 7-angular with triangular apex, 5 main nerves grooved above, prominent below, 3.3 cm long, including the basal lobes 4.4 by 4.5 cm; petiole angular, grooved above, 4 cm long. Inflorescence erect, one-flowered, peduncle 4.5 cm long, entirely covered by large, tubular, acute, 2.5-3 cm long scales. Floral bract erect, lanceolate, acute, concave, 0.95 cm long. Flower nodding, 1.6 cm long. Sepals and petals patent. Median sepal lanceolate, acute, concave, 1.95 by 0.4 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely linear-lanceolate, acute, concave, 1.9 by 0.33-0.35 cm. Petals obliquely lanceolate, at the base almost clawed-narrowed, acute, concave, 1.8 by 0.33 cm. Lip clasping and much longer than the column, 3-lobed, when flattened 1.75 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.78 cm wide, inside puberulous-papillose and in the basal part with a longitudinal, finely villose, longitudinally 1-grooved band, outside with a deep longitudinal groove; lateral lobes erect, porrect, triangular, obtuse or denticulate, minutely finely ciliate, 0.25-0.3 cm long; mid-lobe broadly subrhombic, obtuse, at the base fairly narrow, slightly wavy-dentate and crenate, concave, ciliolate, 0.95 by 0.8 cm. Column clavate, at the apex curved, in front below the stigma pubescent, 0.7 cm long, wings rounded. Anther large, cucullate, subcubical, at the apex slightly retuse, 0.16 cm wide. Ovary oblong-obconical, 6-angular, 0.6 cm long; pedicel short, thin, 0.15 cm long. (After Smith, 1929)

Possibly also in New Brittain (Howcroft, pers. comm.)

Colours:

Leaves green, shiny above, dull underneath. Peduncle scales with purple dots. Sepals, petals and floral bracts pale olive-green, minutely purple-spotted and striped. Lip white, lateral lobes slightly suffused with purple, mid-lobe with purple spots. Column in the basal part pale green, at the apex white, sparsely spotted purple, Anther white, with a few purple spots. Ovary dull green and purple.

Habitat:

Terrestrial in secondary lowland forest; 150 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea), Thailand, ?Laos, Vietnam.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

Flowering time in the wild:

October.

References:

Smith, J.J., Orchid. Java (1905) 55, as Pogonia punctata Blume
Smith, J.J., Orchid. Java, Fig.-Atl. (1908) fig. 34, as Pogonia punctata Blume
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 17, fig. 54, as Nervilia maliana Schltr.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Nervilieae
Section Linervia
Genus Nervilia
Species Nervilia punctata