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Jumellea maxillarioides (Ridl.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 299 (1925).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum maxillarioides Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 479 (1885).
Angorchis maxillarioides (Ridl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 651 (1891).
Description:
Plants acaulis or with a short stem (8-20 cm) and thick (2-3 cm in diameter), covered by the sheaths which degrade into fibers, emitting off shoots and often forming large tufts comprised of 7-10 clumps. Leaves numerous, closely set, loriform (20-25 x 4-5 cm), coriaceous but slightly stiff, bilobed-rounded apically. Inflorescences numerous (5-6 per dump), short (generally 10cm. long), not more than half the length of the leaves; peduncle short (1 cm), entirely covered by the narrowly appressed, shortly cuspidate sheaths, 5 in number, the longest (the superior) similar to the bracts; bracts tubular, not more than one quarter the length of the pedicel; flowers large, of an ivory white, or sometimes rose, thick and opaque. Sepals subequal, attenuate from the base of the obtuse apex (36 x 8 mm when fresh). Petals slightly longer and narrower basally than the sepals, acute and provided with a dorsal midrib. Labellum longer than the sepals slightly enlarged in the lower third then acute toward the apex; spur 4 cm long, enlarged basally, then cylindrical and obtuse apically. Column arms very short and thick; auricles sickle shaped and in an acute angle, the 2 points confluent; provided with a very short tooth in the notch of the rostellum. Anther indented with an acute angle above the points of the auricles; pollina sub glabulous with the cauda retracted; retinacle without distinct viscidiums, curved and inserted at the point of the auricles, joined by their extremities and acute. Pedicel very long (9 cm).
Habitat:
Epiphyte or lithophyte, from 1200-1600 m. alt., flowering in January.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm growing epiphyte.
Distribution:
C. & SE. Madagascar
References:
AOS Bulletin Vol 49 No 6 1980; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 6 1981; AOS Bulletin Vol 53 No 8 1984; Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids Of Madagascar Hillerman & Holst 1986; Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1981; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 19.02-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.