Cadetia micronephelium (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 91.
Basionym: Dendrobium micronephelium.
Rhizome very short. Stems crowded, slender, gradually a little dilated towards the apex, 2.5-7 cm by 1.7-2.4 mm, 1-leaved. Leaves erect, linear-lanceolate, subfalcate, 3.5-4.8 by 0.33-0.68 cm, rigidly carnose, apex unequally bidentate. Inflorescences terminal from the leaf axil, 1-flowered, spathe 0.2 cm long. Pedicel 0.8 cm long, almost glabrous, with a few sparse warts near the apex; ovary 0.2 cm long, densely verrucose. Flower c. 0.7 cm across. Dorsal sepal subelliptic, 0.45 cm by 3 mm, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely subovate-elliptic, 0.45 cm by 3.7 mm, apex rounded; mentum subcylindrical, 0.33 cm long, retuse. Petals erect-patent, linear, weakly spathulate, 0.47 cm by 0.75 mm, apex acute to apiculate. Lip clawed, 3-lobed, pubescent on the claw, the blade 0.44 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.33 cm wide; lateral lobes small, obliquely triangular, acutely acuminate; midlobe recurved, transversely suboblong, 0.23 by 0.48 cm, glabrous, carnose, apex broadly rounded. Column 0.2 cm long, pubescent in front, stelidia oblong-triangular, sometimes dentate at apex, filament triangular, on either side with a subulate tooth; column-foot 0.33 cm long. Fruit with strongly recurved pedicel, nodding, ellipsoid, densely conico-verrucose, 0.95 by 0.67 cm.
(after Smith, 1916).
Colours: Flower white, midlobe of lip yellowish white, lateral lobes below with purple margins, column in upper part tinged and spotted with purple.
Habitat: Epiphyte in rainforest, also lithophytic on rocks along a river. Altitude 40-300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, July.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Jayapura Regency).
Map: MCRNEMAP.JPG [Cadetia micronephelium (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., distribution map.]
Notes: Cadetia micronephelium is a close relative of Cadetia umbellata, from which it is mainly distinguished by the ovary, which in C. micronephelium is covered with small warts, not with pointed hair-like appendages.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.