Microtatorchis flava J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 76, pl. 15, fig. 51
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 10791 (holo BO)
Plant very small. Stem short, c. 5-leaved; roots rather thick, terete or a little flattened underneath. Leaves patent, lanceolate, above obtusely channelled, convex on either side of the channel, especially towards the apex with irregular margins, below angular-convex and especially near the apex slightly obtusely keeled, narrowed at the base and conduplicate, carnose, 0.45-0.95 by 0.2-0.23 cm, the keel terminating in an acute, triangular point; sheaths very short, overlapping. Inflorescences axillary, lax, producing a few flowers in succession; peduncle thin, towards the apex angular-thickened, to c. 1 cm long; rachis flexuose, angular, 0.8 cm or more long. Floral bracts patent, triangular, at the base concave, subulate-acuminate, keeled, with the keel decurrent on the in rachis, 0.15 cm long, on either side with a compressed-subulate, sharply acute appendage which is only a little shorter than the bract and which is also decurrent on the rachis. Flowers 0.36 cm wide, almost 0.5 cm long. Sepals and petals connate in the basal part into a tube that is split underneath, outside 5-ribbed by the prominent nerves, when flattened slightly more than 0.4 cm wide and 0.38 cm long, each 1-nerved. Median sepal in total 0.35 cm long, free part linear-subulate, slightly more than 0.2 cm long, at the base slightly more than 0.08 cm wide. Lateral sepals 0.4 cm long, free part obliquely linear-subulate, 0.28 cm long, at the base 0.08 cm wide. Petals a little shorter than the sepals, in total 0.34 cm long, free part at the base obliquely triangular-dilated, subulate-acuminate, slightly more than 0.2 cm long, at the base almost 0.1 cm wide. Lip porrect, simple, spurred, almost straight, at the base triangular, when flattened 0.35 by 0.13 cm, at the base on either side rounded, strongly concave, long subulate-acuminate, without a hair-like appendage, near the apex with a semiorbicular hollow that is triangular-extended to the base, underneath convex, 4-nerved, nerves at c. 1/4 above the base forming a pair, merging in the middle of the blade, producing a single vein; spur pointing backwards, slightly incurved, making an acute angle with the ovary, making an obtuse, almost straight angle with the blade, obliquely depressed-globose, at the base contracted, back strongly sunken, in cross-section rounded-subtrilobulate-triangular, inside with a gland, 0.08 cm long, 0.1 cm wide. Column very short, transverse, dorsally convex, bilobed, 0.05 cm long, almost 0.1 cm wide; clinandrium semiorbicular, auricles horizontal, divergent, short, broad, obliquely quadrangular, obtuse, outside convex, inside concave. Anther cucullate, triangular-reniform, extended into a very short, slender, truncate beak, almost 0.05 cm wide. Pollinia 2, subobovate, 0.5 cm long including the spathulate, convex, recurved stipe and the rather large, oblong viscidium. Ovary somewhat thick, almost 0.2 cm long, strongly 6-ribbed, the ribs with irregular margins; pedicel a little thinner, 0.08 cm long. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flowers yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 449-20M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.