Thrixspermum denticulatum Schltr. 1905 SECTION Thrixspermum Photo by © Peter O'Byrne

Drawing Drawing by Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The Toothed Thrixspermum

Flower Size 1 1/4" [3.2 cm]

A monopodial epiphyte found in Papua and New Guinea in lowland forests at elevations around 60 to 500 meters as a miniature sized, hot growing epiphyte suspended from mossy tree branches in dense rainforests with short, slightly flattened, unbranched stems enveloped completely by leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying erect-patent to patent, oblong to oblong-ligulate, obtuse, minutely and unequally bilobulate, slightly contracted basally, glabrous, somewhat coriaceous leaves that blooms in the summer on an axillary, 4 1/4 to 5 3/4" [11 to 14 cm] long, many [20] flowered inflorescence with 1 to 2 at a time, successively many flowers produced on a congested, extending rachis over several months with large, distichous, rather lax, bilaterally flattened, ovate, subacute floral bracts that are shorter than the ovary and carrying ephemeral, fleshy, wide opening flowers.

Schlechter states that the flowers are yellow with a brown center and with a purple callus at the base of the lip.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1913/1985 drawing fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 22 1329 - 1392 Brieger 1989; Lowland Orchids of of Papua New Guinea Peter O'Byrne 1994 drawing/photo fide; Flora Malesia Orchids of New Guinea Vol V 2008

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