Taeniophyllum singulare J.J.Sm., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23 (1915) 19
Type: Janowsky 91 (holo BO)
Stem short, covered with subulate-acuminate scales. Roots elongated, strongly flattened, linear, to 65 cm long, 0.35 cm wide. Inflorescences few-flowered; peduncle thin, terete, densely and irregularly muricate with papillose hairs, 7.5-11 cm long; peduncle-scales very small, c. 3, triangular, concave, subulate-acuminate, with patent apex and muriculate basal part; rachis flexuose, muriculate, internodes 0.15 cm long. Floral bracts distichous, patent, broadly triangular, concave, muriculate, dorsally to 0.28 cm long, keeled, the keel near the apex acute. Flowers opening singly. Sepals, petals and lip outside furfuraceous-puberulous. Median sepal narrowly oblong-ovate, obtuse, concave, at the base 3-nerved, slightly more than 0.9 cm long, 0.32 cm wide. Lateral sepals clearly separated from the median sepal, narrowly obliquely subovate-oblong, 0.9 cm by 0.3 cm, obtuse, apiculate, concave, at the base 3-nerved, mid-rib dorsally obtuse and prominent. Petals inserted between the sepals, narrowly obliquely oblong-ovate, obtuse, concave, at the base 3-nerved, 0.84 by 0.3 cm. Lip 3-lobed, spurred, including the spur 1.13 cm long; blade porrect, near the middle indistinctly curved upwards, concave, in outline narrowly oblong, when not flattened 0.8 cm long, to the apex of the lateral lobes 0.45 cm long; lateral lobes erect, incurved in the apical part, very short, at the very broad base 0.45 cm wide; mid-lobe porrect, laterally flattened, making an obtuse angle with the lateral lobes, at the apex with an obtuse callus-like projection, cucullate-hollowed out, above near the apex with two erect, longitudinal, triangular, obtuse, contiguous lobules, 0.25 cm long, 0.18 cm high; spur pointing backwards, with the ovary making an acute angle, with the blade making an obtuse angle, almost straight, slightly laterally flattened, in cross-section elliptic, obtuse, furfuraceous-puberulous, 0.38 cm long, 0.13 cm high. Column very short, making an almost right angle with the ovary, to the top of the anther 0.17 cm long, to the tip of the rostellum 0.77 cm long; clinandrium transversely elliptic, concave, 2-celled by a longitudinal rib, dorsally broadly obtuse; rostellum elongated, appressed to the lip, linear, channelled, convex underneath, 0.63 cm long; stigma transverse, broad, 2-lobed. Anther cucullate, subquadrangular, 0.35 cm long, with 3 swellings, gradually narrowed into a long triangular, slightly incurved, obtuse, underneath concave beak; pollinia not seen; stipe elongated-linear, including the viscidium 0.75 cm long, at the apex bent, dilated, suborbicular, concave, 2-celled by a small longitudinal rib; viscidium very small, thick, elliptic, bilobulate, hidden in the hollow apex of the lip. Ovary sessile, 6-grooved, densely furfuraceous, 0.3 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Flower yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 676-194M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.