Hetaeria oblongifolia, commonly known as the hairy jewel orchid,[2] is a species of orchid that is native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland. It has between four and eight egg-shaped, dark green leaves and up to forty five small, hairy green and white flowers with a deep pouch near the base of the labellum.
Hetaeria oblongifolia is a tuberous, perennial herb with a loose rosette of between four and eight dark green, egg-shaped leaves, 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) wide. Between fifteen and forty five non-resupinate, hairy green and white flowers, 4–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide are borne on a hairy flowering stem 150–300 mm (6–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long, 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide and forms a hood over the column. The lateral sepals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 2.2 mm (0.09 in) wide and project forwards. The petals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 1.3 mm (0.05 in) wide and turn inwards near their tip. The labellum is white with a yellow patch, about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long, 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide with inrolled edges and a deep pouch at its base. Flowering occurs from July to October.[2][3][4]
Hetaeria oblongifolia was first formally described in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume and the description was published in Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie.[5] The specific epithet (oblongifolia) is derived from the Latin words oblongus meaning "elongated" and folium meaning "leaf".[6]
The hairy jewel orchid usually grows on sheltered slopes in rainforest and near streams. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Vanuatu and in Queensland between the Kutini-Payamu National Park and Rockhampton.[2][3]
Group of flowering individuals on Niue.
A single flowering individual on Niue.
Top view of leaves.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence closeup.
Hetaeria oblongifolia, commonly known as the hairy jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland. It has between four and eight egg-shaped, dark green leaves and up to forty five small, hairy green and white flowers with a deep pouch near the base of the labellum.
