Species Information - Glomera acutiflora

Glomera acutiflora (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 8 (1912) 12

Type: Schlechter 17713 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K, L)

Synonyms:

• Glossorhyncha acutiflora Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 300
  - Type: Schlechter 17713 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K, L)

Basionym: Glossorhyncha acutiflora

Epiphyte, erect or suberect, up to 30 cm high; rhizome very short, roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous; stems branched, somewhat compressed, leafy; leaves lanceolate-linear, apex obliquely acute, at the base cuneate, 2-3.7 cm long, below the middle 0.25-0.4 cm wide; sheaths closely appressed, towards the apex somewhat verruculose, apical margins very densely fimbriate-ciliate. Flowers solitary, glabrous. Spathe elliptic, subapiculate, outside sparsely striolate, clasping. Floral bract hyaline, shorter than the ovary. Sepals broadly oblong or elliptic, minutely apiculate, 0.5 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, at the base dilated along the front margins, decurrent. Petals broadly oblong, broadly obtuse, towards the base somewhat narrowed, oblique, as long as the sepals. Lip broadly elliptic, narrowly obtuse, 0.35 cm long, near the middle 0.25 cm wide, spur quadrate, apex bilobulate, dorsally depressed, outside slightly concave, 0.2 cm long and wide. Column short, apex slightly incurved, slightly more than half as long as the lip, clinandrium semiorbicular, unequally crenulate-dentate. Anther very broadly cucullate, obtusely umbonate, in front ascending, broadly obtuse. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.5 cm long.
(After Schlechter, 1911-1914, as Glossorhyncha acutiflora Schltr.)

Note: The specific epithet, acutiflora, is probably a mistake for acutifolia, as there is nothing particularly acute about the flowers, while the leaves are. The pointed leaves distinguish this species from the otherwise quite simlar Glomera hamadryas.

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