Apostasia wallichii R.Br., Pl. Asiat. Rar. 1: 75 (1830)

Synonyms
Apostasia alba Rolfe
Apostasia curvata J.J.Sm.
Apostasia gracilis Rolfe
Apostasia lucida Blume ex Siebe
Apostasia nipponica Masam.
Apostasia papuana Schltr.
Apostasia stylidioides (F.Muell.) Rchb.f.
Apostasia wallichii subsp. nipponica (Masam.) Masam.
Apostasia wallichii var. nipponica (Masam.) Masam.
Apostasia wallichii var. seraweiensis J.J.Sm.
Mesodactylis deflexa Wall.
Mesodactylis wallichii (R.Br.) Endl.
Neumayera stylidioides (F.Muell.) Rchb.f.
Niemeyera stylidioides F.Muell.

Description
Plants ca. 40 cm tall. Rhizome short; roots proplike, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam. Stem suberect or prostrate toward base, not branched, with several tubular sheaths at base; sheaths to 1 cm, several veined. Leaves many, often clustered toward base of stem; blade linear to sublinear, 10-15(-18) ¡Á 0.7-1.2 cm, apex acuminate and with an awn 2-20 mm; petiole-like base 1-4 cm. Inflorescence arising from distal leaf axils, recurved, pendulous, or suberect, racemose or with a few lateral branches, 4-7 cm, many flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, 3-4 mm. Flowers 0.7-1 cm in diam.; pedicel and ovary 13-18 mm. Sepals yellow, linear to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 4-6 ¡Á ca. 1.2 mm, 3-5-veined, apex mucronate. Petals similar to sepals, yellow; lip similar to petals but usually slightly broader. Column lacking wings; filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers narrowly ovoid, 1.5-2.5 mm, base sagittate; staminode subcylindric, adnate to style for most of its length though distal ca. 0.5 mm free; style ca. 3.5 mm, extending slightly beyond anthers, apex with slightly dilated stigma. Capsule cylindric, 12-25 ¡Á 1.4-2 mm. [Flora of China]

Ecology
Tropical forests, crevices, along streams; ca. 1000 m.

Uses

Distribution
From India to New Guinea and Australia.

Local names