Orchids of New Guinea

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Robiquetia gracilistipes

Robiquetia gracilistipes (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 72 (1912) 113

Type: Schlechter 13948 (holo B, lost)

Synonyms:

Saccolabium gracilistipes Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 227
- Type: Schlechter 13948 (holo B, lost)
Robiquetia squamulosa (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 72 (1912) 115
Saccolabium squamulosum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 35
- Type: Versteeg 1779 (syn BO); Bogor cult. (Exp. Lorenz (Djibdja 873)) s.n. (syn BO)
Saccolabium tierneyanum Rupp, Queensland Naturalist 12 (1942) 18
- Type: Tierney s.n. (IV-1934, Australia, Cairns, Pine Creek) (holo NSW, not found by Clements 1989)
Robiquetia tierneyana (Rupp) Dockrill, Australasian Sarcanthinae (1967) 7

Epiphytic, pendent, unbranched, c. 35 cm long; roots rather thick, filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem rather thick, 0.6 cm diam., flexuose, leafy, covered with the clasping, striate-veined leaf-sheaths. Leaves oblong-ligulate, apex obtusely and unequally bilobed, glabrous, coriaceous, towards the base slightly narrowed, 10-15 by 2.5-3.5 cm. Peduncle slender, terete, glabrous, with a few distant, clasping peduncle-scales, 5-6 cm long; rachis slender, densely many-flowered, cylindrical, 12-17 cm long, c. 1.2 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts recurved, lanceolate, acuminate, almost as long as the flowers, glabrous. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals oblong, obtuse, 0.4 cm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals similar to the sepals but a little shorter, oblique, obtuse, glabrous. Lip 3-lobed, c. 0.5 cm long; lateral lobes erect, obliquely oblong, in front obtuse, truncate; mid-lobe much larger, ovate, obtusely acuminate; spur pendent, 0.4 cm long, slightly incurved, funnel-shaped, apex widened, obtuse, inside dorsally with a longitudinal lamella that does not reach the base of the column. Column short, thick; rostellum very short, emarginate. Anther ovate, in front subobtusely acuminate; pollinia 2, globose, stipe slender subfiliform, almost 3 times longer than the pollinia; viscidium rounded, minute. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, glabrous, c. 0.6 cm long.
(After Schlechter, 1905)

Colours:

Flower yellow, inside with brown dots.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in lowland and lower montane forest, also in Metroxylon swamps; 25 to 1300 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea), Australia, Solomon Islands.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Intermediate growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.

Flowering time in the wild:

Flowering observed in every month of the year.

References:

Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 131, t. 44, fig. 148, as Saccolabium squamulosum J.J.Sm.
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 984
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 346, fig. 1336
O'Byrne, P., Lowland Orchid. Papua New Guinea (1994) 522, fig., pl.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
Subtribe Aeridinae
Genus Robiquetia
Species Robiquetia gracilistipes