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Phreatia gladiata
Phreatia gladiata (A.Rich.) Lindl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 3, Index (1858) vi
Type:
Synonyms:
- Oberonia gladiata A.Rich. in D'Urv., Voy. Astrol., Bot. (1834) 6, pl. 2
- Type: Lesson s.n. (holo P?) - Eria gladiata (A.Rich.) Rchb.f. in Seem., Fl. Vitiensis (1868) 300
- Phreatia gladiata (A.Rich.) Kraenzl. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV. 50. II. B. 23 (1911) 28 (nom. superfl.)
Epiphyte; roots filiform, unbranched or branched, pubescent. Leaves basal, distichous, sheathing; sheaths overlapping, 7.5-10 cm long, strongly flattened, somewhat fleshy, split open, with thinner margins; blade elliptic-lanceolate, at the base conduplicate, articulated, at the apex obliquely and unequally obtusely bilobed, veined-striate, coriaceous, glabrous, 15-20 cm long, 3.8 cm wide. Inflorescence from the leaf-axil, terete, single, glabrous, a little longer than the leaves. Flowers rather small, sessile, distant. Rachis slender, 2-7.5 cm long. Floral bract longer than the flower, elliptic, sharply acute, persistent, entire. Sepals and petals porrect. Sepals almost equal, elliptic-oblong, acute. Median sepal somewhat broader, concave. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique, at the base in front slightly humped. Petals as long as the sepals but narrower, elliptic-lanceolate, acute. Lip elliptic-oblong, acute, concave, at the base narrowed and rather long clawed; claw curved, ascending, rather thick, articulated with the base of the columnt; blade subpatent. Column rather short, dorsally convex, in front concave, carrying the stigma in the apical part. Anther subcordate, bilocular. Pollinia ‘2’ (should be 8), ovoid
(After Richard, 1834).
Flower white.
Lowland epiphyte; 0 to 30 m.
Malesia (New Guinea).
Papua New Guinea. See map
October.
- Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 919, as Phreatia gladiata (A.Rich.) Kraenzl.
- Family Orchidaceae
- Subfamily Epidendroideae
- Tribe Podochileae
- Subtribe Thelasiinae
- Genus Phreatia
- Section Rhizophyllum
- Species Phreatia gladiata
Lindley in J. Linn. Soc., Bot.3 (1858) 61 mentions Phreatia gladiata in a note under the Javanese Phreatia myosurus (Rchb.f.) Lindl. [now P densiflora (Bl.) Lindl.], stating that it is “The largest of the genus except A. Richard’s two Oberonias, O. gladiata and O. micrantha, which Professor Reichenbach has pointed out to be Phreatias” In the index he stated that Reichenbach did not accept Phreatia as distinct from Eria Lindl. and placed Richard’s two taxa in Phreatia, clearly attributing the transfers to himself.
(after Ormerod 2004)
The illustration accompanying Richard's description of Oberonia gladiata Rich. shows the plant, a flower devoid of a mentum, and a dissected flower with the lip inserted directly on the column base which is devoid of a column foot. These are character states which are characteristic for Thelasis and which distinguish this genus from the related genus Phreatia. Thereforeit is here suggested to transfer Oberonia gladiata Rich. to Thelasis gladiata. Thelasis gladiata should be compared with the earlier described Thelasis carinata Blume; if proven conspecific it should be reduced to a synonym of that species
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Phreatia gladiata
Oberonia gladiata A.Rich., habit and floral analysis, drawing in Sertum Astrolabii pl. 2