Habenaria paucipartita J.J.Sm. 1915 SECTION Medusaeformes
Drawing by © J J Smith
TYPE Drawing by © J J Smith
Common Name The Poorly Split Habenaria
Flower Size .8 [2 cm]
Found in New Guinea at elevations around 1800 to 2100 meters as a large sized, cold growing terrestrial with an erect, in basal half or 2/3 covered with tubular sheaths only, upper part leafy stem carrying about 8, patent, lanceolate, acuminate, long mucronate, narrowing at the base leaves that blooms on an erect, terminal, peduncle provided with about 4 leaf-like scales, 8.4" [21 cm] long, laxly ca. 20 flowered inflorescence with , ovate, long acuminate, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying s green flowers with a cream lip.
"Habenaria paucipartita resembles H. pinnatipartita. In fact, both species share similar size and habitat, similar form of the flower segments, except lip and petals form. Both can be distinguished by the number of filiform outgrowths of lip lateral lobes and anterior petal lobes. In H. paucipartita the lip lateral lobes are ornamented in the middle with a few subulate projections and short, irregular teeth, whereas in H. pinnatipartita both lateral lobes are provided with three patent, unequal, filiform lobules and sometimes the front margin also with a very short lobule. The anterior petal lobes of the former species are entire, usually without any projection. In the latter species the front margin of the lip lateral lobes is provided with a similar lobule which is more or less shorter and sometimes with an additional tooth-like lobule. Additionally, the spur of H. paucipartita is shorter (up to .4" [10 mm] long vs .64" [16 mm] long), slightly clavate and obtuse (vs prominently inflated in the apical part, attenuate towards the apex). The unique characters of H. pinnatipartita are the spur with an obtuse longitudinal rib on the dorsal surface of the inflated part and the shortly clawed lip. Neither of these characters can be found in H. paucipartita." Kolanowska etal 2021
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos,Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23: 1 J J Sm 1915
Beitr zur Flora Von Papusian XX - Bot Jahrb. LXVI J J Smith 1934;
A Guide to the Monocotyledons of Papua New Guinea Part 4 Orchidaceae [in Part] Howcroft 1984;
Checklist of Papusian Orchids Ormerod 2017;
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