Corybas karkarensis P.Royen, Phanerog. Monogr. 16 (1983) 46, fig. 8
Type: NGF (Millar) 40827 (holo LAE; iso BISH, BRI)
Small, 7 cm high terrestrial. Tuber ellipsoid, 0.8 by 0.6 cm. Stem 5 cm high, 2-ribbed, glabrous. Cataphyll tubular, 0.8 cm long, caudate, 1-nerved, glabrous. Leaves suborbicular-cordate, 2-3.2 by 1.8-2.6 cm, acuminate, at the base cordate but cuneate at very base, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, basal nerves 2 or 3 on either side of mid-rib, outermost basal nerve much shorter than inner ones, the latter both reaching tip of blade or almost so, cross-veins 5 or 6 on either side of the mid-rib, connate to inner basal nerve, venation widely reticulate, margin only slightly wavy; finely papillate above and along margin. Pedicel 0.2 cm long, glabrous. Floral bract linear, 1.2 by 0.1 cm, acute, glabrous. Median sepal widely obovate, cucullate, 2.2 by 1.2 cm, obtusely apiculate, 5-nerved at the base, many-nerved on hood, glabrous. Lateral sepals linear-subulate, 0.5 by 0.05 cm. Petals linear-subulate, 0.6 by 0.05 cm. Lip from a short, tubular part abruptly curved and widening into a narrow, 2-lobed, 1 by 0.8 cm large blade, margin slightly dentate in apical part only, 5-nerved at the base, many-nerved near margin, glabrous; spurs mammilliform, 0.2-0.25 cm long, obtuse. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1983).
Colours: Leaves bronze green or velvety green above with pale pink veins, underside reddish. Flowers red or deep wine red, sides of lip white near basal spurs.
Habitat: Epiphyte. Altitude 670-1070 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-62M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.