Species Information - Habenaria trichaete

Habenaria trichaete Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 14

Type: Schlechter 16383 (holo B, lost)

Synonyms:

Tuber oblongoid, roots elongated, flexuose, villose. Stem erect, terete, 70-80 cm long including inflorescence, in basal half covered in 5-7 scale-leaves, 7-8-leaved near the middle. Leaves rather crowded, erect-patent, elliptic, 18 by 4.5 cm, glabrous, apex acuminate. Inflorescence racemose, peduncle-scales bract-like; rachis 13 cm long, densely 15-25-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, as long as or a little longer than the ovary, apex acuminate. Pedicel and ovary 2 cm long, cylindric-subclavate. Flowers c. 2 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, apex with a 0.4-0.6 cm long bristle-like prolongation. Lateral sepals deflexed, obliquely ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, apex with a 0.4-0.6 cm long bristle-like prolongation. Petals obliquely linear, erect, along the front margin at the base with a 2 mm long subulate tooth, apex subacute. Lip 3-lobed, 1 cm long, spurred, glabrous; lateral lobes linear, somewhat falcate, narrower and about a fourth shorter than the mid-lobe, narrowly obtuse; mid-lobe linear, narrowly obtuse; spur cylindric, 1.7 cm long, a little thickened below the apex, narrowly obtuse. Column with triangular, obtuse rostellum, staminodes rounded, short, stigmatophores distinctly longer than the anther channels. Anther apex obtuse, anther channels porrect. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).

Note: Remarkbale for the unusually long extensions to the mid-vein of the lateral sepals.

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