Taeniophyllum asperatum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 1037
Type: Schlechter 20189 (holo B, lost)
Epiphyte without leaves. Roots flexuose, slightly flattened, c. 30 cm long, 0.15-0.23 cm wide. Inflorescence sessile, short, densely 10- to 15-flowered, up to 1.3 cm high, very densely and shortly brown-muricate (including the bracts). Floral bracts deltoid; much shorter than the ovary. Flowers rather small. Sepals oblong, obtuse, keeled outside, minutely muriculate, 0.35 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely lanceolate-ovate, somewhat obtuse, keeled outside, glabrous, somewhat shorter than the sepals . Lip square, in front obtusely and indistinctly lobate-apiculate, in the middle concave, 0.3 cm wide; spur subglobose, half as long as the lip. Column very short, glabrous; rostellum large, ascending. Anther at the base cordate-cucullate, long-rostrate; pollinia obliquely obovoid; stipe 4 to 5 times longer, narrowly oblanceolate; viscidium lanceolate, acute, turned backwards, a third as long as the stipe. Ovary muriculate, sessile, 0.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 676-13M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.