Orchids of New Guinea

Genus Micropera

Micropera Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. (1832) sub t. 1522

Synonyms:

Genus Camarotis Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (1833) 219

Monopodial terrestrial or epiphytic plants. Stem much elongated, rooting along its length, often climbing. Leaves many, arranged in two rows, sheathing at the base, glabrous, deciduous, duplicate, leathery, often abruptly narrowed in the apical part. Inflorescence lateral, a few- to many-flowered raceme. Flowers small, usually not resupinate. Sepals free. Petals free, usually narrower than the sepals. Lip spurred, not mobile, the front wall of the spur with a callus usually consisting of two parallel lamellae, spur inside with a longitudinal dividing wall. Column with a very long, beak-like rostellum. Column-foot short. Pollinia 4, of almost equal size, arranged in 2 bodies, solid, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.

Distribution:

South-east Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Solomon Islands. About 10 species; in New Guinea one species [Micropera fasciculata (Lindl.) Garay].

Habitat:

Terrestrial or epiphytic in lowland and montane forest, often in rather open places.

References:

Schlechter, R. 1988. Die Orchideen. Ed.3, Vol. IB, Lieferung 19 - 20. Pp. 1354-1356. Blackwell Wissenschafts Verlag, Berlin.
Seidenfaden, G. 1988. Orchid Genera in Thailand XIV: fifty-nine vandoid Genera. Opera Botanica 95: 1-398.

Classification:

Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
Subtribe Aeridinae
Genus Micropera

Notes:

Genus Micropera is a relative of genus Cleisostoma with inconspicuous flowers characterised by the internal structure of the spur and the long rostellum. Most species have long climbing stems. This genus is rarely cultivated.

Genus Micropera in New Guinea is represented with species:

Micropera fasciculata