Species Information - Aphyllorchis montana

Aphyllorchis montana Rchb.f., Linnaea 41 (1877) 57

Type: Thwaites C.P. 3189 (syn K, PDA, W?); Walkers s.n. (syn W)

Synonyms:

• Aphyllorchis elata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 36.
  - Type: Schlechter 17752 (syn B, lost; iso G, L); 18041 (syn B, lost); 19279 (isosyn L); 19373 (isosyn B, lost)

Terrestrial, tall, unbranched, 50-150 cm high, rhizome erect or suberect, almost woody, roots somewhat thickened, flexuose, puberulous. Stem straight or almost straight, with 5-8 distant apiculate sheaths clasping the stem, terete, glabrous. Rachis rather laxly many-flowered, elongated, almost secund, to 40 cm long. Floral bracts patent to reflexed, lanceolate, acute, about as long as the ovary, glabrous. Flowers suberect. Sepals lanceolate, subacute, glabrous, 1.2 cm long. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals similar to the sepals, obliquely lanceolate, narrowly obtuse, glabrous, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip 1 cm long, between the lateral lobes 0.3 cm wide, with short about 0.2 cm long hypochilium, lateral lobes obliquely semiorbicular, broadly obtuse, glabrous, epichilium 0.8 cm long, below the middle 0.3 cm wide, at the base shortly clawed, lanceolate, obtuse, somewhat concave, at the base with three somewhat thickened median lines. Column semiterete, glabrous, about 0.5 cm long, clinandrium dorsally 3-lobed, lateral lobes larger, rounded, glabrous. Anther oblongoid-cucullate. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, including the pedicel about 1.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).

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