Corybas montisstellare P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 70, fig. 42 ('montis-stellare')
Type: Craig 157 (holo LAE; iso BISH)
Small, 5-7 cm high terrestrial. Tuber ovoid, 0.7 by 0.5 cm. Stem 3-4.5 cm high, 3-ribbed, glabrous. Cataphyll tubular, 0.6 cm long, aristate, glabrous. Leaves oblong-cordate, 2-2.2 by 1.5-1.8 cm, subaristate, at the base cordate, mid-rib slightly grooved in basal part only, slightly prominent below, basal nerves 2 on either side of the mid-rib, both reaching apical area of the leaf-blade, cross-veins 5 on either side of mid-rib, branched, all nerves distinct but not prominent, margin only slightly wavy; scattered pellucid lenticelled mainly in basal half. Pedicel none. Floral bract narrowly ovate, 0.8 by 0.15 cm, caudate, glabrous. Ovary curved-claviform, 0.5 by 0.2 cm, broadly 3-ribbed. Median sepal curved-boat-shaped, spathulate, 2.2 by 1 cm, apiculate, 5-nerved at the base, many-nerved near margin of hood, glabrous. Lateral sepals linear, 2.6 cm long, ovate at the base, glabrous. Lateral petals linear, 1.5 cm long, otherwise similar to the lateral sepals. Lip from a 1 by 0.5 cm large funnel-shaped base abruptly curved downward and widening into a suborbicular, 0.8-1.2 by 0.8-1.2 cm large blade, apiculate, margin laciniate-erose in apical part only, on inside in marginal part with scattered hispid hairs; spurs conoid, 0.2 by 0.2 cm. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1983).
Colours: Flower deeply reddish purple, probably with a white throat.
Habitat: Probably terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 3000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-82M.JPG
Cultivation: Probably a cool growing terrestrial.