Oberonia merapiensis Schltr.

Geiger, D. L., 2019, Studies on Oberonia 5 (Orchidaceae: Malaxideae). Twenty-four new synonyms, and a corrected spelling, Blumea 64 (2), pp. 123-139 : 130

Oberonia merapiensis Schltr. — Fig. 8

Oberonia merapiensis Schltr. (1911a) 13. — Type: Schlechter 15977 (syn B lost, AMES/barcode 00101995,AMES 18330/barcode 00101994, AMES 105720/barcode 00101997,AMES 11922/barcode00101996,K 000942987, L 0061760,P00364404),[ Indonesia, Sumatra],slopes of Gunong [= mount] Merapi , 1300 m.

Oberonia salakana J.J.Sm. (1927) 44, pl. 4, f. 3. — Type: W. Docters van Leeuwen s.n. (syn), [ Indonesia,] Java,Buitenzorg [= Bogor], on the [Mount] Salak, in the forest, syn. nov.

Notes — Oberonia salakana is considered an obvious synonym of O. merapiensis . Smith (1933) noted the similarity of his O. salakana to O. merapiensis and distinguished the former only by the strength of constriction of the mid-lobe and the less strongly incised lateral and apical lobes of the lip. Smith’s flower was an alcohol preserved specimen, and evidently the flower was not fresh when preserved, because fresh-preserved flowers are not shrivelled and long appendages are life-like if fresh and properly processed. All other attributes of the habit and details of the flower agree with O. merapiensis . The distribution of the species spanning from Java ( O. salakana ) to Sumatra ( O. merapiensis ) and the mountainous forest habitat of both type localities further support the synonymy.

Figures

Fig. 8 Oberonia merapiensis. a. Oberonia merapiensis illustration from Schlechter (1934: f. 56); b. Oberonia salakana illustration from Smith (1927).