Jumellea confusa (Schltr.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 33(2): 429 (1915).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum confusum Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 190 (1913).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Jumellea ankaratrana Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 289 (1925).
Description:
Plants to 60cm. tall and more; stem rigid, sublignous. slightly compressed. sheaths slightly carinate. 10-I5 mm wide; leaves numerous. distichous. pleated-contracted in the lower quarter. linear-lingulate (7-12 cm. x 10-24 mm) apical lobes rounded and subequal. Peduncle 2.4 cm. long covered in the lower three quartets by the 3-5 sheaths, the superior of which is the longest (10-15 mm.), tubular, thin, narrowly appressed and all similar to the bracts; bracts equal to about a fifth the length of the pedicel flowers with the divisions thick without any visible veins. Sepals and petals lanceolate, widest above the base 22-30 mm long attenuate-acute apically the petals slightly shorter than the sepals. Labellum being the same length as the sepals narrowly gutter shaped with a median keel in the lower half widest medially or slightly above dilate-rhomboid (6-7 mm.) at this point. then attenuate-acute apically: spur filiform 12-13 cm long. Column 4 mm. tall, slightly thinner: auricles with obtuse angles, the upper of which is more developed than the lower: median lobe of the rostellum reduced to a small acute tooth or a narrow tongue. Anther excised in front; retinacles 2. triangular. Pedicel 5-6 cm. long. Capsule oblanceolate (7 cm. x 7 mm) dorsal bandeletts flat and wide, slightly projecting.
Habitat:
Jumellea confusa grows as an epiphyte in the forests of eastern and central Madagascar at altitudes of 600 to 1,500 meters (1,950 to 4,900 feet).
Flowering:
December-March.
Cultivation:
Cultural experience with Jumellea confusa has been mainly in an intermediate house, where growth has been moderately vigorous and blooming frequent. It has been grown mainly in pots (3- inches) in medium fir bark mix, and under medium light. However, it has shown a willingness to flower under fairly low levels.
Notes:
Jumellea confusa grows more or less upright to a height of 50 cm, but eventually becomes pendent unless supported. The outstanding asset of this species is its ability to remain in flower most of the time. An inflorescence emerges from the axil of each mature leaf, and a well-established plant is in flower most of the year (not many flowers, but blooming frequently). The bloom is typically Jumellean with the dorsal sepal pointing back, and the lateral sepals, petals, and hp pointing forward. The flowers are very white, last 3 weeks or more, and are slightly fragrant. In spite of its eventual size, Jumellea confusa is an interesting, modest-size plant that does not require a great amount of space for the rewards that it offers.
Distribution:
Comoros, Madagascar
References:
Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1981; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 14.02-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture |
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| 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. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. |
