Flickingeria nativitatis
| Flickingeria nativitatis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Tribe: | Dendrobieae |
| Subtribe: | Dendrobiinae |
| Genus: | Flickingeria |
| Species: | F. nativitatis |
| Binomial name | |
| Flickingeria nativitatis (Ridl.) J.J.Wood[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Flickingeria nativitatis is an epiphytic orchid. It is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-eastern Indian Ocean. Its specific epithet comes from the Latin nativitas (birth), referring to the birth of Christ, or Christmas, after its type locality.[2]
Description
The orchid has aerial stems 150–400 mm long, sometimes branching, with 5–15 fusiform, bilaterally compressed, yellow-green pseudobulbs 25–40 mm long. The leaves are narrowly elliptic, 50–120 mm long and 10–20 mm wide, obtuse and coriaceous. The inflorescence is in front at the leaf base, with the pale yellow flowers 10–15 mm in width and opening singly. The capsule is ellipsoidal and 15 mm long.[2]
Distribution and habitat
The orchid is common in rainforest on the plateau and the high terraces of the island, where it favours Planchonella nitida and Eugenia spp. as the host trees.[2]
Relationships
The orchid is closely related to F. aureiloba (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Wood from Java and Sumatra.[2]
References
Notes
Sources
- Wood, J.J. (1982). Orchadian 7: 145. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - "Flickingeria nativitatis (Ridl.) J.J.Wood". Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study. 1993. Retrieved 2010-11-27.