Malaxis sciaphila (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt 1970 Type Drawing by © Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The Shadow Loving Malaxis

Flower Size

Found in New Guinea at elevations around 1000 to 1400 meters as a miniature sized, cool growing terrestrial with a long rhizome giving rise to an elongate, apically ascending, leafy stem carrying patent to erect-patent, obliquely elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, more or less undulate margins, glabrous, petiolate base leaves that blooms in the winter and spring on a graceful, more or less flexuous, angled, glabrous, to 2" [5 cm] long, subdensely many flowered inflorescence with deflexed, narrowly lanceolate, acute, glabrous, a little longer than the ovary floral bracts.

Schlechter states that the flowers are dark wine red with translucent darker streaks.

Synonyms Crepidium sciaphilum (Schltr.) Szlach. 1995; Malaxis sciaphila var. bismarckiensis (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt 1970; *Microstylis sciaphila Schltr. 1911; Microstylis sciaphila var. bismarckiensis Schltr. 1911

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1911 as Microstylis sciaphila Drawing fide; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1911 as Microstylis sciaphila var. bismarckiensis

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