Ascocentrum curvifolium [Lindley]Schlechter 1913

Plant and inflorescence Photos courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name The Curved Leafed Ascocentrum - In Thailand - Khao kae - Khao khwai

Flower Size 3/4 to 1 1/8" [2 to 2.7 cm]

It is a medium sized epiphyte with short, often bifurcate, stout, woody below stems covered by leaf bases carrying distichous, narrowly linear, strongly decurved, praemorse or bidentate apically leaves found from Assam India, eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Myanamar, Thailand, Laos, southern China and Vietnam to the south on deciduous trees in semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests at elevations of sealevel to 700 meters, and has abundant smaller red flowers that occur in the late spring and summer on a crowded, erect, 6 to 10" [15 to 25 cm] long, axillary inflorescence that is shorter than the leaves and densly many flowered.

Synonyms Ascocentrum rubrum (Lindl.) Seidenf. 1988; Gastrochilus curvifolius O.Ktze. 1891; *Saccolabium curvifolium Lindley 1933; Saccolabium miniatum Hooker not Lindley 1862; Saccolabium rubrum Lindley 1828

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1855 as Saccolabium rubrum; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95 as Saccolabium curvifolium; The Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1914/82; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1959 drawing, photo fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Beautiful Thai Orchid Species Kamemoto & Sagarik 1975 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 53 No 6 1984 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 55 No 2 1986 photo; Orchid Digest Vol 51 No 4 1987 photo fide; Miniature Orchids Northern 1988; Simon & Schuster's Guide to Orchids Fanfani & Rossi 1988; Miniature Orchids McQueen 1992; Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb and Laurent 1992; Illustrated Encyclopedia or Orchids Pridgeon 1992; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; AOS Bulletin Vol 67 No 7 1998 photo; A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2001; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2001; Botanica's Orchids Laurel Glen 2002; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 1 2003 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 2 2003 photo; Wild Orchids in Myanamar Vol 1 Tanaka 2003; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 no 9 2004 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 70 No 6 2005/6 photo; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007

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