Volume 12 > Part 2 > Year 2014 > Page 312 > Orchidaceae > Acanthephippium

3. Acanthephippium sylhetense Lindl.wfo-0000262239

Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 177. 1831; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 815. 1890; Seidenf. & Smitinand, Orchids Thail.: 327, 791, fig. 599. 1961–1965; Seidenf., Opera Bot. 89: 52, fig. 24, t. IVc. 1986; Seidenf. & J.J.Wood, Orchids Penins. Malays. Singap.: 157, fig. 68j–k. 1992; S.Thomas, Orchid Monogr. 8: 133, fig. 66, t. 6d. 1997; N.Pearce & P.J.Cribb, Fl. Bhutan 3(3): 276. 2002; Vaddhanaphuti, Wild Orchids Thail., ed. 4: 2 (incl. colour photo). 2005; S.C.Chen et al. in Z. Wu et al. (eds), Fl. China 25: 310. 2009. [For synonyms, see S.Thomas, op. cit.]. Fig. 176; Plate XXV: 3.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Flowering shoots 27–50 cm tall. Pseudobulbs conical to cylindric, to 15 by 2 cm. Foliage leaves 2 or 3, ovate-elliptic, acute, 25–40(–80) by 3.4–10.3 cm; petioles 5–11(–34) cm long. Inflorescences to 15 cm long, semi-dense; peduncles 3–9 cm long; rachis 1–3 cm long, 5- to 8-flowered; floral bracts elliptic-lanceolate, acute, sometimes dull purple, 24–30 by 12–21 mm. Flowers white or yellowish-white, sepals and petals with red dots distally, labellum mid-lobe yellow; flowers fragrant. Sepals elliptic-ovate, subacute, lower two thirds fused; dorsal sepal 23–28 by (10–)12–17 mm; lateral sepals 30–40 by 14–20 mm, basally adnate to the column foot to form a globose mentum 14–15(–19) mm long. Petals obovate, subacute or obtuse, 24–29 by 10–16 mm. Labellum 3-lobed, 34–40 by 10–15 mm; mid-lobe oblong, recurved, 6–8 by 3.8–4 mm long; side lobes falcate, obtuse, suberect, 5–7 by 5–8 mm; disk ornamented by 3 or 5 erose or coarsely dentate keels. Column stout, 13–15 mm long. Ovary (including pedicel) 22–50 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid, to 60 mm long, erect.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai; EASTERN: Nakhon Ratchasima; SOUTH WESTERN: Kanchanaburi; CENTRAL: Nakhon Nayok; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chon Buri; PENINSULAR: Nakhon Si Thammarat; UNSPECIFIED: Khao Yai NP (comprising parts of the provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok).

Distribution : India, E Himalayas, Bangladesh (type), Myanmar, S & C China, Taiwan, S Japan, Peninsular Malaysia.

Ecology : Terrestrial near streams and in bog areas; 100–700 m alt. Flowering: March–April.

Vernacular : Nok kaeo pak ngai (นกแก้วปากหงาย).