Octarrhena reflexa (J.J.Sm.) Schuit., Blumea 48 (2003) 512
Basionym: Chitonanthera reflexa
Stem elongated, more or less branched, flexuose, thin, rooting mainly in the basal part, to c. 16 cm long, internodes 0.45-0.6 cm long. Leaves patent, articulated, laterally compressed, more or less falcate-recurved, linear, acute, the sides grooved, 0.7-1.6 cm long, 0.06-0.13 cm wide; leaf sheaths longer than the internodes, tubular, strongly laterally compressed, ancipitous, 0.15 cm wide, at the apex free, patent, laterally compressed, not slit in front. Inflorescences perforating the sheath dorsally near the base, shorter than the leaf, 1-flowered; peduncle thin, swollen at the apex, at the base with two small scales, 0.34 cm long. Floral bract patent, clasping the rachis, triangular, conduplicate, acute, keeled, c. 0.1 cm long. Flower 0.23 cm wide, 0.3 cm long. Sepals very shortly connate at the base. Median sepal reflexed, appressed to the ovary, in the apical part incurved, ovate, 0.15 by 0.12 cm, gradually subacuminate, subobtuse, except at the base with incurved margins, 1-nerved, inside in the basal part with two collateral, convex, papillose thickenings. Lateral sepals reflexed, below the middle obtusely incurved, at the apex widely patent, obliquely suboblong, 0.16 by 0.08 cm, long channelled-acuminate and near the apex keeled, subacute, in the basal part convex and papillose, in the apical part concave, 1-nerved. Petals very small, patent, at the apex recurved, indistinctly 5-angular-triangular, 0.02 cm long, convex, long puberulous, apex acute with an almost 90 degree angle. Lip porrect, adnate to the basal front side of the column, wavy, lanceolate-ligulate, 0.16 by 0.05 cm, towards the apex gradually slightly narrowed, shortly subacute, concave, at the apex convex, long puberulous, 1-nerved. Column rather large, near the middle sharply recurved, puberulous, c. 0.1 cm long, 0.06 cm wide, basal part subglobose, underneath convex; clinandrium erect, dorsally compressed, auricles erect, conduplicate, broadly triangular, falcate-incurved, puberulous; rostellum erect; stigma transverse, very narrow. Anther erect, flat, reniform, 0.04 cm wide. Ovary pedicellate, triangular, glabrous, 0.2 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Flowers brick red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest.
Flowering time in the wild: May, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 486-69M.JPG.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.