垂茎馥兰 chui jing fu lan

Octarrhena caulescens (Ames) Ames.

Stem tufted, pendulous, usually 10-20 cm, not pseudobulbous, completely enclosed in overlapping brown basal leaf sheaths. Leaves many, distichous on upper part of stem; leaf blade linear, ca. 6 × 0.6 cm, acute. Inflorescence axillary, lateral, arching, ca. 8 cm, slender; rachis conspicuously longer than peduncle; floral bracts ovate, ca. 3 mm, acute. Flowers whitish, ca. 3 mm in diam.; pedicel and ovary ca. 3 mm. Sepals ovate, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, acute. Petals elliptic, ca. 1.3 × 1 mm, acute; lip ± broadly oblong, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, with short claw and a shallow sac at base. Column short. Fl. Aug.

Epiphytic on large tree trunks at forest margins; ca. 1500 m. S Taiwan [Philippines; Pacific islands (Vanuatu)].