Taeniophyllum platyrhizum Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 222
Type: Schlechter 14318 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, almost stemless, 7-8 cm high; roots flexuose, elongated, glabrous, strongly flattened, above very minutely rough-punctate, 0.5-0.7 cm wide. Stem almost lacking. Leaves reduced to minute scales. Inflorescence erect, straight or nearly so, 7-8 cm long; peduncle slender, terete, shortly villose; rachis distichous, rather densely several-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, subobtuse, small, slightly recurved, outside finely villose, much shorter than the ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals linear-oblong, subspathulate, obtuse, apiculate, keeled along the mid-vein, outside along the margins and in apical half with sparse tooth-like warts, glabrous except for the very base, 0.6 cm long. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals linear-oblong, obtuse, glabrous, a little narrower and shorter than the sepals. Lip in outline oblong, 3-lobed, 0.5 cm long, near the middle 0.3 cm wide, glabrous, in the middle hollowed out, at the base of the mid-lobe with 7 minute parallel pits; lateral lobes very small; mid-lobe much larger, rounded, with an obtuse swelling, at the apex conspicuously notched; spur cylindrical, obtuse, 0.8 cm long, glabrous. Column short; rostellum narrowly lanceolate, sharply acuminate, bifid, ascending. Anther at the base cordate, lanceolate-oblong, rostrate, obtuse; pollinia 4, obliquely obovoid; stipe very slender, dilated towards the apex; viscidium oblong, obtuse very small. Ovary shortly pedicellate, subcylindrical, 0.5 cm long, finely villose. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Hairs on inflorescence and bracts blackish. Flower yellow, lip white with red dots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 676-164M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.