Saccolabiopsis papuana J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 74, pl. 15, fig. 49
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 10681 (holo BO)
Plant small. Stem short, 3- to 4-leaved; roots numerous, rather thick, twisted. Leaves lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, unequally bidentate, on either side of the grooved mid-rib convex, underneath along the mid-rib obtusely thickened, fleshy, 2.5-4 by 0.7-1.2 cm; leaf-sheath short, tubular, open at the apex. Inflorescences axillary, densely many-flowered; peduncle thin, at the apex swollen, 2-2.8 cm long, with a few tubular peduncle-scales; rachis swollen, strongly discontinuously 5-angular-ribbed with concave sides, more than 3.8 cm long. Floral bracts appressed, oblong-triangular, subacuminate, narrowly obtuse, concave, 0.22 by 0.1 cm. Flowers turned to all sides, patent, incurved, very small, somewhat fleshy, 0.34 cm long, slightly more than 0.2 cm wide. Median sepal incurved above, strongly concave, subobovate-oblong, truncate-obtuse, 1-nerved, slightly more than 0.2 cm long, slightly more than 0.1 cm wide. Lateral sepals porrect, slightly concave, obliquely oblong, obtuse, with the mid-rib dorsally obtusely thickened, 1-nerved, 0.2 cm long, slightly more than 0.1 cm wide. Petals porrect, obliquely angular subobovate-oblong, 0.17 by 0.08 cm, obtuse, gradually narrowed towards the base, in the apical part somewhat wavy, 1-nerved, with the mid-rib dorsally obtusely prominent. Lip immobile, underneath the column porrect, at the base not adnate to the column and slightly contracted, 3-lobed, spurred, underneath in the sinus between the mid-lobe and the spur with a small longitudinal obtuse rib, including the spur 0.23 cm long, to the apex of the ovary 0.22 cm long, 0.16 cm wide; lateral lobes near the mouth of the spur erect, well-separated, obliquely quadrangular, obtuse, slightly concave, with swollen front margin, decurrent on the base of the mid-lobe, forming a small transverse rib; mid-lobe porrect, straight, making an obtuse angle with the spur, triangular, broadly obtuse, almost 0.1 cm long, 0.13 cm wide; spur pointing backwards, straight, dorsally flattened and with 3 small longitudinal ribs, oblong, obtuse, 0.17 cm long along the dorsal side. Column short, thick, broad, without anther 0.1 cm long; clinandrium concave, at the apex broadly obtuse; rostellum recurved; stigma rather large, equilaterally trapeziform, weakly 4-lobulate. Pollinia 4, unequal, the two frontal ones larger, pear-shaped-obovate, the two dorsal ones much smaller and narrower, at the apex broad, recurved, convex, shortly tridentate, well-separated on the cuneate-spathulate stipe; pollinarium including the triangular viscidium almost 0.1 cm long. Ovary curved, 6-grooved, 0.26 cm long. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flower greenish yellow, lip white.
Habitat: Twig epiphyte in lower montane forest; 700 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 620-7M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.