Habenaria medusa Kraenzl. 1893

Side View of FlowerPhotos by © Jay Pfahl

InflorescencePhoto by Takato NATSU from Japan and his Japan Orchids Page

Full shade Hot Warm Spring Summer

Common Name The Medusa-Like Habenaria [refers to the side lobes of the lip]

Flower Size 3 1/2" [9 cm]

Found in Laos, Vietnam, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra in grasslands at elevations around 400 to 800 meters as a medium sized [in flower], hot to warm growing terrestrial with 4 to 5, lanceolate, acute, subcordate basally leaves that blooms in the spring and summer on a terminal, to 16" [40 cm] long, many flowered inflorescence.

This species needs a long dry winter rest from leaf fall [in september] to the arrival of new growth [in march]. WIht the new growths arrival it is time to water and fertilize regularly until it blooms in June to August.

Synonyms Fimbrorchis medusa (Kraenzl.) Szlach.2004; Fimbrorchis myriotricha (Gagnep.) Szlach. 2004; Fimbrorchis myriotricha var. confluens (Gagnep.) Szlach 2004; Habenaria myriotricha Gagnep. 1931; Habenaria myriotricha var. confluens Gagnep.1934

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae Vol 3 Reichenbach 1896 drawing fide; Die Orchideen Von Java J.J.Smith 1905; Die Orchideen Von Java Figuren Atlas J.J.Smith 1908 drawing fide; Orchidaceae Of German New Guinea Schlechter 1912/85; Die Orchideen #5 17-20 tafel 6 Rudolph Schlechter 1971 photo fide; Die Orchideen Band 3 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1973 photo fide; A Checklist of the Orchids of Borneo Wood & Cribb 1994; Lindleyana Vol 17 No 1 2002; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 1 2004 as H myriotricha photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 No 2 2009 photo; Flora Of Thailand Orchidaceae Vol 12 Part 1 Pedersen, Kurzweil, Suddee & Cribb 2011 as H myriotricha drawing/photo fide; A to Z of South East Asian Orchid Species Vol 2 O'Byrne 2011 photo fide

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