Species Information - Appendicula steffensiana

Appendicula steffensiana (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 119, pl. 40, 134

Type:

Synonyms:

• Podochilus steffensianus Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 124
  - Type: Schlechter 14423 (holo B, lost)

Basionym: Podochilus steffensianus

Roots elongated, shortly villose. Stems erect, unbranched, straight or nearly so, 30-50 cm long, many-leaved. Leaves erect-patent to patent, narrowly lanceolate, 6-14 by 0.8-1.7 cm, apex acuminate, mucronate. Inflorescence terminal, racemose or sometimes sparsely branching, erect to suberect-patent, usually not longer than the uppermost leaf. Floral bracts subpatent, ovate to oblong, apex obtuse to acute. Flowers c. 0.6 cm high. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 0.4 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-oblong, 0.4 cm by 3 mm, apex narrowly obtuse; mentum obtuse. Petals obliquely narrowly oblong-ligulate, 0.4 cm long, apex obtuse. Lip pandurate, 0.4 cm long, base concave, basal appendage oblong-ligulate, pubescent, much widened towards the middle of the lip, ending in two glabrous obtuse lobules, lip in the middle with incurved margins, constricted, apical part broadly ovate, at apex with a minute callus, narrowly obtuse. Column short, rostellum erect, deeply emarginate; column-foot long. Anther ovate-cordate, apex attenuate. Pollinia 6, obliquely clavate, viscidia 2, coherent but distinct, acuminate.
(After Schlechter, 1905, as Podochilus steffensianus Schltr.).

Note: Should be critically compared with Appendicula penicillata Blume.

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