Hydnophytum reevii Jebb & C.R.Huxley, 2019

34. Hydnophytum reevii Jebb & C.R.Huxley View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 37 View Fig ; Map 5 View Map 5

Tuber irregulariter globosum. Aperturae numerosae, 0.2 ad 0.6 cm, labrosae,instructae quaeque 1–5 lobis digitiformibus. Caules juvenes 4-angulati. Lamina elliptica usque obovata,ad 4.2 per 2.3 cm,apice rotundo-acuminato, basi sensim attenuata. Petiolus ad 0.6 cm. Inflorescentia binata, sessilis, bracteis obtecta; quae bracteae ad 0.7 cm longae, ad 0.4 cm latae. Flores heterostyli. Calyx 2 mm, integer usque 4-dentatus. Corolla ad 9 mm; lobi triangulares, ad 3.5 mm; annulus pilorum exsertus ex faucem. Pyrenae obovatae, 3.5 per 2.2 mm, apice truncato-apiculato.

— Typus: Reeve 1069 (holo LAE; iso CBG, FHO, K, L), Papua New Guinea, Enga Province, Porgera district, Tukulanga-Tombena ridge , Paiela C/D , July 1983 .

Etymology. Named in honour of Tom Reeve, former agricultural officer at Laiagam in Enga Province of Papua New Guinea and orchidologist.

Tuber irregularly globose, to 30 by 15 cm. Entrance holes numerous, often densely covering tuber, 0.2–0.6 cm within, with a thick raised rim, often with 1–5, fleshy, upright to spreading, finger-like lobes, 0.2–1 by 0.2–0.3 cm along its margin. Stems several, to 60 cm, pendent to upcurved, branching, 4-angled, becoming rounded; internodes up to 12 by 1 cm when sterile, 0.5–4 by 0.2–0.4 cm when fertile. Lamina elliptic to obovate; 1.5 by 0.8 to 4.2 by 2.3 cm; apex round-acute; base tapering; leathery; midrib obscure towards apex; veins 4 or 5, obscure. Petiole 0.2–0.6 cm; stipules 0.2–0.3 cm, ± persistent. Inflorescences sessile, paired, bract-covered, to 0.8 cm across, bracts papery to leathery, triangular, to 0.7 by 0.4 cm. Flowers [3]?heterostylous. Calyx to 2 mm, margin entire to 4-dentate. Corolla tube to 6 mm, with a broad ring of hairs at mouth of tube, and spreading to the lobes; lobes triangular, to 3.5 mm, fully reflexed in open flower, uncus narrow to 1 mm. Only short-styled flower known.Anthers 2 mm, exserted, filaments 1.5 mm. Pollen 47–49 μm, brochi 1.5–2.5 μm, walls 1.5–3 μm thick, vesicles small. Stigma 2-fid to obscurely lobed, within mouth of corolla tube. Fruit globose, to 6 by 5 mm, calyx and disc prominent at apex. Pyrenes obovoid, 3.5 by 2.2 mm; apex truncate with an abrupt, rounded to acute, central process to 0.5 mm long.

Ecology & Habitat — Mid to low-level epiphyte in mossy forest, 1 800–1 900 m.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea (Enga and West Sepik Province).

Conservation status — Vulnerable (VU) under criteria D2 with the only two known locations about 200 km apart.

Additional specimen examined. Jebb 244 (K, L, LAE ), Jebb 245 ( LAE ), West Sepik Province, S5°05' E141°39', on path from Telefomin to Eliptamin.

Note — The extraordinary entrance hole extensions are not as well marked in the Telefomin specimens, and nor is the leaf shape in these latter two specimens a perfect match to the type, however, the inflorescence, flower and fruit characters are all constant.