Oberonia wappeana J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 365, pl. 49, fig. 24
Type: Janowsky 410 (holo BO)
Stems elongated, c. 6 cm long in the type specimen, laterally compressed, somewhat ribbon-like, 5-6-leaved, internodes 0.65-1 cm long. Leaves erect-patent, falcate-incurved, not articulated, laterally compressed, obliquely lanceolate, sharply acute, carnose, basal part adaxially split, at the base gradually passing into the tubular, laterally compressed, ensiform sheath, in total 1.3-4.7 cm long, apical part 0.6-2.9 by 0.33-0.5 cm. Inflorescence subsessile, laxly many-flowered, in the apical part more laxly so, 10-11.5 cm long, rachis ribbed. Floral bracts appressed, triangular-lanceolate, 1-nerved, 0.2 cm long, acuminate, concave, dorsally keeled, margins and the keel somewhat erose. Flowers in seemingly arranged in c. 8-flowered whorls, rather widely patent, 0.22 cm wide. Sepals and petals widely patent. Median sepal ovate, obtuse, 1-nerved, 0.13 cm long, almost 0.1 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, obtuse, very minutely apiculate, slightly convex, 1-nerved, 0.12 cm long, almost 0.1 cm wide. Petals oblong, obtuse, at the base truncate, on either side rounded, only inserted in the middle, somewhat erose except at the base, 1-nerved, 0.12 by 0.06 cm. Lip almost flat, at the base with two auricles, at 1/3 above the base constricted, near the base with a suborbicular concavity, 3-nerved, in total 0.18 cm long, across the auricles 0.1 cm wide; auricles erect, appressed to the petals, half-clasping the column, obliquely suborbicular; mid-lobe much larger, reniform, 0.12 by 0.15 cm, bilobulate up to the middle, dilated towards the apex, lobules obliquely orbicular-quadrangular to 5-angular, separated by a narrow sinus, laxly finely erose. Column minute, at the apex truncate, 0.05 cm long, clinandrium concave; stigma suborbicular. Anther cucullate, transversely subelliptic, connective convex-thickened, apex elongated into a short rounded beak, 0.02 cm wide. Pollinia 4, united into two almost semiglobose bodies. Ovary pedicellate, 0.23 cm long. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Flowers orange.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 485-402M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.
Notes: The specific epithet should probably be spelled 'wapeana', as it refers to Wape village.