Orchids of New Guinea

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Schoenorchis micrantha

Schoenorchis micrantha Reinw. ex Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 362

Type: Blume s.n. (Java, Mt. Gede); (Java, Mt. Salak) (syn L 2x); no loc. (syn L); Kuhl & van Hasselt s.n. (syn L)

Synonyms:

Saccolabium chionanthum Lindl., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 3 (1859) 35
- Type: Reinwardt s.n. (Java) (holo K)
Gastrochilus chionanthus (Lindl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. (1891) 661
Saccolabium perpusillum Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6 (1890) 56; Hooker's Icon. Pl. 22 (1893) t. 2129a
- Type: Ridley (Singapore, Sungei Buloh)
Gastrochilus perpusillus (Hook.f.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. (1891) 661
Saccolabium plebejum J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 3 (1912) 77
- Type: Bogor cult. (Gjellerup) 21
Schoenorchis plebeja (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 72 (1912) 101
Schoenorchis densiflora Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 986
- Type: Schlechter 17316 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, E, K, L, MO, NSW)
Schoenorchis densiflora Schltr. var. abbreviata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 986
- Type: Schlechter 20159 (holo B, lost)

Epiphytic, very small; roots filiform, glabrous. Stem unbranched, curved, leafy, to 15 cm long. Leaves patent, subulate-filiform, above slightly grooved, apiculate, 3-5 cm long, 0.15-0.2 cm diam. Inflorescence densely many-flowered, secund, sometimes as long as the leaves, straight, carrying flowers to near the base. Floral bracts deltoid, shorter than the ovary. Flowers minute, glabrous. Sepals elliptic, obtuse, 0.18 cm long. Lateral sepals minutely apiculate, narrower than the median sepal. Petals obliquely oblong, broadly obtuse, somewhat narrowed towards the base, almost as long as the sepals. Lip in outline oblong, as long as the sepals, in apical third 3-lobed; lateral lobes very short, narrow; mid-lobe much larger, ovate, laterally flattened underneath; spur oblongoid, somewhat incurved, dorsally in the middle a little dilated, 0.11 cm long. Column short, on either side with a tooth; rostellum deeply bifid, large. Anther in front slightly produced, obtuse; pollinia globose; stipe narrowly linear, almost twice as long as the pollinia; viscidium oblong, as long as the stipe. Ovary sessile, c. 0.15 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)

Colours:

Flowers white, slightly tinged reddish.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in lowland forest; 10 to 1467 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea, Philippines), Thailand, ?Laos, Vietnam, Australia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Warm growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

January, February, March, May, June, July, September, November, December.

References:

Hooker, J.D., Hook. Ic. Pl. 22 (1893) t. 2129A, as Saccolabium perpusillum Hook.f.
Smith, J.J., Orchid. Java (1905) 635, as Saccolabium chionanthum Lindl.
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 1 (1913) 102, t. 28, fig. 88, as Schoenorchis plebeja (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm.
Smith, J.J., Orchid. Java, Fig.-Atl. (1914) fig. 453
Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 462, as Schoenorchis plebeja (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm.
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 347, fig. 1339, as Schoenorchis densiflora Schltr.
Dockrill, A. W., Austral. Indig. Orchids 1 (1969) 786, fig., as Schoenorchis densiflora Schltr.
O'Byrne, P., Lowland Orchid. Papua New Guinea (1994) 528, fig.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
Subtribe Aeridinae
Genus Schoenorchis
Species Schoenorchis micrantha