Oberonia longispica Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 150
Type: Schlechter 19573 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect or spreading, up to 40 cm long. Rhizome decumbent, short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stems straight or indistinctly flexuose, up to 15 cm long, entirely hidden by the leaf-bases. Leaves erect or suberect, obliquely linear-ligulate, acute, free part 7-10 cm long, at the base 0.4-0.6 cm wide. Inflorescence carrying flowers to above the base, elongated, up to 23 cm long, much surpassing the upper leaves, c. 0.7 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts patent, hyaline, lanceolate, apiculate, dorsally keeled, as long as or a little longer than the flowers. Flowers very small, at the apex of the inflorescence a somewhat incurved, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, 0.2 cm long. Lateral sepals equally long, oblique, ovate, obtuse. Petals obliquely oblong-ligulate, obtuse, in apical half with serrulate margins, as long as the sepals. Lip at the base cordate, 3-lobed; lateral lobes divergent, semiorbicular; mid-lobe much longer, lanceolate-triangular, apex truncate and minutely serrate. Lip in total hardly more than 0.15 cm long, above the base 0.1 cm wide. Column short, rather thick. Anther subreniform, broadly obtuse, dorsally umbonate. Ovary clavate, including the pedicel 0.25 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers light green with yellow anther.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 700 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-208M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.