Orchids of New Guinea

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Corybas sagittatus

Corybas sagittatus S.P.Lyon, Malesian Orchid J. 18 (2016) 90, fig. 5-7.

Type: S.P. Lyon SPL 419 (holo L).

Terrestrial herb. Tuberoid ovoid, when young fusiform, 0.3 by 0.4 cm. Stem slightly angular, 2.3 cm long; basal sheath 0.5 cm long; apex subulate. Leaf sessile, sagittate with large, backwards-pointing auricles, c. 1.4 by 0.9 cm, rugose, glabrous; margins strongly undulate; apex acute and apiculate; nerves reticulate, only a single lateral vein on either side of midrib. Peduncle c. 0.15 cm long. Floral bract narrowly triangular 0.7 cm long; apex subulate. Pedicel and ovary cylindrical, 0.55 cm long, ribbed. Flower solitary, porrect at c. 45° angle. Median sepal nearly linear, slightly keeled, 1.65 by 0.3 cm, glabrous; apex abruptly acuminate, terminating in a c. 0.35 cm long arista; 5-nerved. Lateral sepals filiform, 0.9 cm long, emerging from behind spurs. Petals linear or falcate, 0.15 cm long. Lip from tubular basal part abruptly curved downward and spreading into a 0.45 cm wide, expanded pyriform blade, c. 0.7 cm long when spread; inner surface of blade densely hispid; margins of blade denticulate; opening to floral tube shallowly and squarely notched; spurs narrowly conical, c. 0.25 cm long. Column upright, 0.2 by 0.1 cm; ventral pad 0.15 by 0.1 cm. Fruit not seen.
(after Lyon 2016)

Colours:

Leaf dark green with paler midrib above, mottled with purplish red between nerves below. Peduncle greenish. Floral bract green. Ovary greenish. Median sepal greenish-white. Lateral sepals and petals greenish-white. Outer lip tube greenish-white with purple streaks along its length; spurs purple; inner surface of blade dark purple. Column whitish; anther darkly pigmented.

Habitat:

Terrestrial in thick moss, in somewhat open montane forest. Altitude 1600–1900 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (Morobe Prov.). See map

Cultivation:

Cool growing terrestrial in moss.

Flowering time in the wild:

December.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Orchidoideae
Tribe Diurideae
Subtribe Acianthinae
Genus Corybas
Species Corybas sagittatus

Notes:

Corybas sagittatus is similar to C. betsyae P. Royen in the strongly sagittate leaf, but differs in the shorter leaf with less pronounced auricles, the dark green adaxial surface with pale veins, the reddish abaxial surface, the narrower and strongly acuminate/caudate median sepal, the solidly purple, pyriform lip blade (versus orbicular), with a square notch.