Species Information - Appendicula pendula var. chalmersiana

Appendicula pendula Blume var. chalmersiana (F.Muell.) J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 117, pl. 40, 132

Type:

Synonyms:

• Appendicula chalmersiana F.Muell., S. Sci. Rec., n.s., 1 (1885) 91
  - Type: Chalmers s.n. (Mts. near Port Moresby)

Basionym: Appendicula chalmersiana

Stems erect, elongated, to 60 cm long, internodes 0.9-1.2 cm long. Leaves patent, half-twisted at the base, lanceolate, 4.5-5 cm long, 0.75-1.5 cm wide, towards the apex minute crenulate, obtuse, bilobulate, between the lobules with a longer mucro, mid-rib prominent underneath; leaf-sheaths tubular, about as long as the internodes. Inflorescences terminal and lateral near the apex of the stems, elongated, pendulous, laxly many-flowered, shortly pedunculate, 10-25 cm long, flowering for a long time. Floral bracts reflexed, broadly ovate, mucronate, erose, concave, outside minutely squamulose-finely punctate, 0.5 by 0.36 cm, upper ones smaller. Flowers 0.77 cm wide, 0.67 cm long, outside minutely squamulose-finely punctate. Median sepal ovate, obtuse, concave, 3-nerved, 0.4 by 0.25 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, acute, concave, keeled outside, 0.38 cm long, at the base 0.48 cm wide; mentum broadly obtuse, 0.3 cm long. Petals parallel with the median sepal, at the apex recurved, obliquely rhombic, obtuse, in the apical part somewhat erose, weakly 3-nerved, 0.35 by 0.23 cm. Lip parallel with the column-foot, erect, concave, at the apex strongly recurved, in outline oblong, 3-lobed, in the basal art with a narrowly horseshoe-shaped, slightly retuse, carnose appendage that is slightly shorter than the claw and in front extended in two ribs that almost reach the middle of the blade, when flattened 0.54 by 0.35 cm, lateral lobes rounded, mid-lobe larger, rounded, obtusely apiculate, inside below the apex with a minute callus, erose. Column short, to the apex of the rostellum 0.2 cm long. Anther cordate, acuminate, 0.15 cm long. Pollinia 6, unequal, obtriangular-clavate, stipes two, elliptic, concave, connate at the base. Rostellum rather long, triangular, bidentate. Stigma almost semiorbicular. Column-foot making an acute angle with the ovary, straight, 0.3 cm long. Ovary shortly pedicellate 6-grooved, 0.55 cm long. Fruit widely patent, carrying the flower, 6-ribbed, 1.2-1.4 cm long, pedicel 0.2-0.25 cm long. (After Smith, 1909).

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