Habenaria cruciata J.J.Sm. 1908 SECTION Acuiferae
Photos by Takato NATSU from Japan and his Japan Orchids Page
Common Name The Cross-Shaped Habenaria
Flower Size
Found in New Guinea as a large sized terrestrial with a short stem, leafy throughout, carrying 7 to 10, lanceoalte, acuminate leaves that blooms on an erect, terminal, laxly many flowered inflorescence with the basal floral bracts, broadly ovate-acuminate, 3 nerved, carinate, ciliate, grading smaller above, all shorter than the ovary.
J J Smith compared this species with H retroflexa
"Habenaria cruciata belongs to a group of species with a cruciate lip, and where the lateral lobes are shorter than or equal to middle lobe. However, it can be distinguished by the strongly winged-keeled and pubescent-ciliate sepals, and the lip middle lobe forming a kind of channel. This species can be confused with H retroflexa, in which however, the basal part of the lip is not channelled. The status of both species requires further study." Kolanowska etal 2021
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19: 25 J J Smith 1908
Orchidaceae Of German New Guinea : 60 Schlechter 1912/85;
A Guide to the Monocotyledons of Papua New Guinea Part 4 Orchidaceae [in Part] Howcroft 1984;
Checklist of Papusian Orchids Ormerod 2017;
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