Corybas royenii Kores, Blumea 24 (1978) 459
Type: Kores (WEI) 1628 (holo LAE)
Very small erect herb, 1-3(-7) cm tall. Tuber globose, 0.4-0.6 cm diam., white or pale brown, finely villose. Rhizome as well as the subterraneous parts white, sparsely villose. Stem above the ground pale green, glabrous, at base enclosed by a single tubular sheath. Sheath 0.8-1.2 cm long, 1-nerved, distally a little spreading, apical part free for 0.1-0.2 cm, acuminate, at the apex tendril-like. Stem semiterete 1-7(-10) cm long. Leaf ovate or elliptic-ovate, 1.5-3(-6) by 1-1.5(-2) cm wide, above pale green, below paler, apex narrowly acuminate, base shortly attenuate and with two ribs decurrent on the stem, mid-rib above sunken, below clearly raised, at the base on either side with one nerve, the nerves convergent, above the base on either side with 4 to 6 nerves, the nerves laxly ladder-like reticulate, marginal veins absent. Pedicel terete, 0.2-0.4 cm long, glabrous, subtended by a single bract. Floral bract linear, channelled, (0.5-)1-1.7 by 0.2-0.3 cm, pale green, narrowly acute, 1-nerved, glabrous. Ovary ascending and somewhat incurved, cylindrical, 0.6-1.0 by 0.2-0.3 cm, twisted, 6-grooved, glabrous. Median sepal erect, spathulate, in total 2-3 cm long, 7-9-nerved, claw narrowly attenuate, channelled, 1-1.5 cm long, blade ovate, 1-1.5 0.7-1.4 cm, margin not or slightly incurved, entire, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals reduced, subulate, 0.3-0.6 by 0.05 cm, 1-nerved, glabrous. Petals free, erect, somewhat reflexed, linear, acute, 1.5-3 by 0.2-0.3 cm, 1-nerved, glabrous. Lip erect, funnel-shaped, abruptly reflexed and towards the limb horizontally spreading, in total 1.5-2 cm long, at the base conspicuously 2-spurred, spur 0.2-0.3 cm long, tube 1-1.5 cm long, dorsally along the whole length conspicuously inflated, inflated part longitudinally keeled and strongly laterally compressed, limb broadly cordate, 0.8-1.2 by 0.7-1 cm, at the apex obtuse, deflexed, margin incurved, membranous, irregularly fimbriate-laciniate, central part of the limb with a hemispherical umbo, 0.6-1 cm wide, 0.1-0.2 cm high, lip inside laxly and minutely pubescent, outside glabrous. Column erect, 0.2 cm long. Fruit not seen. (After Kores, 1978)
Colours: Leaf pale green, paler below. Ovary greenish white. Median sepal white with 5 to 7 red stripes. Lateral sepals greenish. Petals whitish green, distally grading to red, then brown, at apex blackish red. Lip with the umbo, neck and part of the limb inside purple-black, limb outside greenish white, irregularly marked with brown spots.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 3250-3650 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, March, July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-109M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.