ORCHIDACEAE
Acanthephippium Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 353 (1825).
By: Bhakta B. Raskoti
Taxon Description
Terrestrial herbs. Rhizome shortened or indistinct. Pseudobulbs ovoid-cylindric or conical, noded,with roots at base and 1–4 leaves at apex. Leaves ovate, elliptic, or obovate, base narrowed and sheathing, articulate. Inflorescence lateral from a base of young or matured pseudobulb,erect, shorter than leaves; peduncle sheathed; rachis withcrowded flowered; floral bracts cymbiform, foliaceous. Flowers resupinate, jug-shaped in general outline; pedicel and ovary ellipsoid, sparsely pubescent. Sepals connate at base, free at apex; dorsal sepal oblong to obovate; lateral sepals obliquely oblong, adnate to column foot at base to form a mentum. Petals enclosed within sepaline tube, elliptic to spathulate, base decurrent along column foot. Lip 3-lobed, articulate at apex of column foot; lateral lobes erect; mid-lobe reflexed, triangular or oblong; disk with lamellae or keels. Column elongate, apex dilated, winged or wingless; anther subglobose to ovoid; pollinia 8, attached to a viscidium via caudicle; rostellum broadly ovate; stigma broadly obovoid. Capsule erect, ellipsoid, ridged.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 13 species, distributed in Nepal, Assam-Burma, East Asia, SE Asia, E Himalaya, S Asia. One species in Nepal.
1. Acanthephippium striatum Lindl., Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 24(Misc.): 41 (1838).
Acanthephippium simplex Aver.; A. sinense Rolfe; Tainia unguiculata Hayata.
Plants 32–36 cm tall. Roots fibrous, pubescent. Pseudobulb cylindric to narrowly cylindric-ovoid, 6–10 × 0.6–1 cm, noded, sheathed. Leaves often 2, elliptic to oblong, 22–26 × 7–11 cm, apex acute; petiole-like base ca. 2.5–5 cm. Inflorescence 13–16 cm, peduncle 7–10 cm with several scale-like sheaths; rachis 5–6 cm, densely 4–6-flowered.Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, cymbiform, leaflike, 1.5–3 × 2–2.5 cm, apex acute. Flowers creamy white withred venation or spots and blotches, 3–4.5 cm. Pedicel and ovary 3–4 cm, sparsely pubescent. Dorsal sepal elliptic, 1.5–3 × 1–1.5 cm, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong-triangular, 2.5–4 × 1.5–2 cm, base adnate to column foot, apex recurved, subacute. Petals oblong-obovate, 2–3 × 0.8–1.2 cm, apex obtuse or acute. Lip adnate to column foot, 2–2.5 cm, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, falcate-triangular, 0.8–1 cm; mid-lobe ovate-triangular, ca. 0.6–0.8× 0.4–0.5 cm, margin slightly undulate, apex recurved, acute; disk with a ridge; mentum spur-like. Column 1–1.5 cm; foot 3–4 cm. Capsule ovoid, 4–6 cm, ridged.
Distribution: Nepal, Assam-Burma, E Asia, E Himalaya, and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 400–1500 m.
Ecology: Humid forests.
Flowering: April–June. Fruiting: July–October.
Type of Acanthephippium striatum is from Nepal (via Bateman; cult. Kew, K-LINDL). Above description is based on specimen from S Asia and SE Asia (van Beusekom C.F. and Phengkhlai C.1281 L, Maxwell J.F. 89-134 L).