ORCHIDACEAE
Nephelaphyllum Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 372 (1825).
By: Bhakta B. Raskoti
Taxon Description
Terrestrial herbs. Rhizome creeping. Pseudobulbs articulate at junction with petiole and peduncle. Leaf petiolate; ovate to cordate. Inflorescence racemose, unbranched, 2–16-flowered; peduncle with few internodes, scales persistent; rachis erect, unbranched. Floral bracts persistant. Flowers lax, widely opened. Sepals oblong-lanceolate. Petals oblong-lanceolate. Lip entire or 3-lobed, attached to column foot; spur clavate, cylindric, or saccate. Column erect; pollinia 8 in 2 groups of 4. Fruit a capsule.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 15 species, in South Asia, East Himalaya, Assam-Burma, SE Asia and East Asia. One species in Nepal.
1. Nephelaphyllum pulchrum Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 373 (1825).
Anoectochilus pulcher (Blume) Rollisson; Tainia pulchra (Blume) Gangnep.
Plant 10–15 cm tall. Rhizome creeping. Pseudobulbs ovoid-cylindric, 15–3 × 5 mm. Leaf petiole 1–2 cm, lamina broadly ovate-cordate, lower surface deep purple, upper surface mottled with purple, 8–12 × 5–8 cm, apex subacute. Inflorescence from psendobulb base, peduncle 8–10 cm; rachis 2–2.5 cm, up to 6-flowered. Sterile bracts ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–2 × 0.5 cm, apex acute. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 7–10 × 4–6 mm, apex acuminate. Flowers sepals and petals red, lip base red, apex yellow, spur yellow, 1–1.5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary 0.6–1 cm. Dorsal sepals oblong-lanceolate, 10–15 × 8-10 mm, reflexed, apex acute. Lateral sepals similar to dorsal sepal. Petals oblong-lanceolate, 10–15 × 8–10 mm, apex acute. Lip oblong, 10–15 × 8–10 mm, entire, base spurred, apex obtuse, margins crenulate; disk with a band divided into 3 ridges towards apex. Spur clavate, 4–5 mm, apex bilobed. Column 5–6 mm, winged. Fruit not seen.
Distribution: Nepal, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Himalaya, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 1000–1200 m.
Ecology: Terrestrial in litter covered broad-leaved forests.
Flowering: July–August. Fruiting: August–November.