Cystorchis rostellata J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 346, pl. 44, 9
Type: Feuilletau de Bruyn 91 (holo L; photo BO)
Stem decumbent, rooting, ascending, erect part 4 cm long, 4-leaved, lower leaves limp. Leaves ovate, apex shortly triangular-subacuminate, subacute, at the base rounded, margin crisped, 5-nerved, below (when dried) pale punctate, up to 2.7 cm long 1.6 cm wide; petiole slender, channelled, including the sheath, which is dilated and tubular at the base, up to 0.8 cm long. Inflorescence erect, long pedunculate, apex rather densely few-flowered, peduncle pubescent, 12 cm long, scales two, bract-like, long acuminate, pubescent, appressed, up to 1 cm long, rachis pubescent, 1.4 cm long. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, gradually subacuminate-narrowed, acute, concave, outside and along the margin pubescent, 1-nerved, 0.55 cm long, 0.25 cm wide. Flowers 6, 0.73 cm long. Sepals outside sparsely glandulose-pilose. Median sepal horizontal, oblong, concave, 1-nerved, 0.5 cm long, 0.2 cm wide, at the base subelliptic, above the middle oblong contracted, with a weakly incurved, short, truncate apiculum. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, apical margin incurved, somewhat cucullate, obtuse, margin in front at the base dilated into a rounded, strongly concave lobe that is closely appressed to the bladder of the spur, 2-nerved, 0.53 cm long, in total 0.68 cm long, above the base 0.25 cm wide, at the base when not flattened 0.28 cm wide. Petals adhering to the median sepal, obliquely linear-oblong, slightly falcate, obtuse, outer margin in apical half coarsely papillose-ciliolate, inner margin in apical third papillose, 1-nerved, 0.48 cm long, 0.14 cm wide. Lip spurred, in total about 0.7 cm long, near the apex of the ovary 0.5 cm long, somewhat wavy, longitudinally grooved below, basal part (hypochile) oblong, margins erect, channelled-concave, appressed to the column, when flattened triangular, margins in front of the column incurved, touching, on either side with a conspicuous longitudinal, oblong, papillose thickening, forming an oblong mesochile, epichile porrect, minute, shortly ovate-triangular, obtuse, horizontal; spur pointing backwards, parallel to the ovary, at the base on either side with a conspicuous, deflexed, compressed, 0.18 cm long bladder, this inside with an elliptic gland and covered by the base of the lateral sepals, apex of the spur elongated, glabrous, laterally compressed, apically contracted, obtuse, about 0.1 cm long. Column short, thick, at the base contracted, to the apex of the rostellum 0.33 cm long, clinandrium large, deeply concave. Anther deeply sunken in the clinandrium, deeply cucullate, cordate, about 0.2 cm long, apex triangular-produced, acute, connective thickened, shorter than the rostellum. Pollinia 2, caudicles linear, at the base shortly obtusely divergent, apex somewhat clavate-thickened, viscidium hyaline, in total 0.2 cm long. Rostellum elongated, porrect, stigma conspicuous, concave, the basal margin thickened, bilobed. Ovary twisted, glandulose-pilose, 6-grooved, 0.58 cm long. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Flower yellowish red.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 1200-2000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 209-18M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.