Synonyms
None
Origin in the Wild
Sabah
Elevation in the Wild
2,490 metres
Habitat in the Wild
This species has only been collected once on Mount Trus Madi. Jeffrey Wood described its habitat as “upper montane ericaceous forest growing on exposed branches and twigs associated with mosses, lichens and Coelogyne plicatissima” (Wood 2001).
The Plants Description
The rhizome is branched and can measure 15cm or more. The pseudobulbs are spaced 6-8mm apart along the rhizome and are shaped ovate to ovate-elliptic. The pseudobulbs measure 1-1.2cm long and 0.4-0.6cm in diameter. The pseudobulbs are covered by 3-4 cataphylls while they are growing. The cataphylls disintegrate into persistent fibres as the pseudobulbs mature. The leaves are petiolate; the petiole measures 0.5-0.7cm long. The leaf blades are shaped linear-elliptic to ligulate and have obtuse apices. The leaf blades measure 3-5.2cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm wide. The leaves are thin textured and have five distinct nerves.
The Inflorescence
The inflorescence is synanthous. The peduncle is erect and measures 2.7-4cm long. The rachis is curved and measures 1.6-2.2cm long. The rachis is quadrangular in cross-section. The flowers alternate distichously and are spaced 2mm apart. There is one non-floriferous bract at the base of the rachis. The flowers open from the distal section of the rachis.
The Flowers
Jeffrey Wood wrote that between 5 and 8 flowers grow on an inflorescence. The flowers are yellow flushed with plum purple (Wood 2001). The dorsal sepal is shaped ovate-elliptic and has an acute apex. The dorsal sepal measures 4mm long and 1.1mm wide. The dorsal sepal has an entire margin and is three veined. The lateral sepals are shaped ovate-elliptic, slightly oblique and have acute apices. The lateral sepals measure 4mm long and 1.5mm wide. The lateral sepals have entire margins and are three veined. The petals are shaped narrowly elliptic with acute apices. The petals measure 4mm long and 1mm wide. The petals have entire margins and are 3 veined. The labellum is entire, curved, and measures 3.5-3.6mm long and 1.9-2mm wide. The labellum is shaped oblong-ovate and has an acute apex that is deflexed. The labellum has three prominent nerves; the two outermost nerves are keels and are located at the base of the hypochile. The margins are minutely erose. The column is gently curved and measures 2.6mm long. The column foot is small. The apical hood is shaped ovate with an entire apex. The stelidia grow upwards from the base of the column and do not exceed the column apex. The stelidia are shaped oblong and have obtuse apices; the stelidia measure 1mm long.
Herbarium Specimens
Holotype
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Specimen K000078259 (photo)
Isotype
Tenom Orchid Centre
Other herbarium specimens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Scent
I could find no record
Flowering Season
Jeffrey Wood found this plant in flower during June. Wood wrote that given there were few plants in flower during June the main flowering time could be later in the year (Wood 2001).
Culture
I do not think this species is in cultivation
Similar Species
NA
Other Information
The epithet is named after Aningguh Surat who assisted Jeffrey Wood on field trips including the trip that discovered this species.
This species has been found growing with Coelogyne plicatissima (Wood 1997).
Reference –
WOOD, Jeffrey. 1997, Orchids of Borneo volume 3. The Sabah Society, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
WOOD, Jeffrey. Dendrochilum of Borneo, 2001. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Malaysia.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 24 May 2009. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ accessed 24 May 2009.