ORCHIDACEAE
Cremastra Lindley, Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. 172. 1833.
By: Lokesh R. Shakya
Taxon Description
Plants terrestrial, herbs. Pseudobulbs ovoid or bulbous, noded, with many elongate roots. Leaves erect or suberect, elliptic, plicate, arising from apex of pseudobulb. Inflorescence erect, racemose, arising from apex of pseudobulb, laxly or densely few- or many-flowered. Flowers long and narrow, tubular, resupinate, pendulous. Sepals and petals similar, narrowly lanceolate, free, not spreading. Lip 3-lobed, adnate to base of column, free, base slightly saccate, callose. Column elongate, slender, slightly dilated towards apex, pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, attached to the viscidium.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide about 4 species. One species in Nepal.
1. Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino in Bot. Mag. (Tokyo): 24 (1904).
Cymbidium appendiculatum D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. : 36 (1825).
Plants 22–45 cm tall. Pseudobulbs ovoid or subglobose, 2–3 X 1–3 cm, 2- or 3-noded. Leaf solitary or rarely 2, narrowly elliptic, 18–20 X 3–5 cm, distinctly 3-veined, plicate, petiole 8–13 cm. Inflorescence 25–27 cm, subdensely 6–8-flowered, peduncle sheathed, sheaths 4–5 cm. Fertile bracts lanceolate, 6–12 cm, acuminate. Flowers 2–3 cm, pendulous, pink to purple, petals and lip spotted, pedicel and ovary 3–4 mm. Sepals and petals similar, linear, widening at apex. Dorsal sepal 2.5–3 X 0.3–0.5 cm. Lateral sepals 2.2–2.5 X 0.2 cm. Petals 2–3 X 0.1–0.3 cm. Lip 2.2–3 X 0.2–0.4 cm, simple, 3-lobed, slightly saccate at base, midlobe ovate with fleshy callus present at base, lateral lobes narrowly oblong. Column 1.5–3 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 2000 m.
Ecology: Terrestrial herbs on moist and shady places.
Flowering: May.