Orchids of New Guinea

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Grammatophyllum scriptum

Grammatophyllum scriptum Blume, Rumphia 4 (1849) 48

Synonyms:

Grammatophyllum scriptum (L.) Blume var. boweri (F.Muell.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 951.
- Type: King cult. (Goldfinch) s.n. (Solomon Isl., Mandoliana I.)
Cymbidium boweri F.Muell., S. Sci. Rec. 3 (1883) 197
Grammatophyllum guilelmisecundi Kraenzl., Gartenflora 43 (1894) 114
- Type: Sander cult. (Micholitz) s.n. (New Guinea) (holo B, lost; iso HBG, K)

Epiphytic plants forming large compact clumps. Pseudobulbs ovoid, up to 25 cm long, few-leaved. Leaves distichous, lanceolate, petiolate, up to about 70 by 3.5-8 cm. Inflorescences lateral, arcuate, many-flowered. Flowers large. Median sepal ovate, 2.5-3 by 1.5-2 cm. Lateral sepals ovate, 2.8-3.3 by 1.5-1.7 cm. Petals spathulate, 2.7-3 by 1.2-1.4 cm. Lip 3-lobed towards the apex, 1.9-2.2 by 1.6-2 cm, hairy all over, the mid-lobe semicircular to transversely elliptic-triangular, the callus of 2 ridges. Column 1.3-1.7 cm long.
(After Lewis and Cribb, 1991).

Colours:

Pseudobulbs green turning glossy yellow. Flowers large, yellow with large dull brown blotches; lip yellow or off-white veined with brown.

Habitat:

Epiphyte. Altitude 0-10 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Warm growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

December.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Cymbidieae
Subtribe Cymbidiinae
Genus Grammatophyllum
Species Grammatophyllum scriptum
Variety Grammatophyllum scriptum var. boweri

Literature:

Lewis, B.A. & P.J. Cribb, Orchids of the Solomon Islands and Bougainville (1991) 303, fig. 78A-K, pl. 15D

Notes:

Grammatophyllum scriptum var. boweri is traditionally distinguished by the large brown blotches on the sepals and petals and the transversely elliptic-rectangular midlobe of the lip. Based on intermediate material Ormerod (2017) suggests that it may be better to treat Grammatophyllum scriptum as a species with a clinal variation in colour and lip shape.