Taeniophyllum torricellense Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 223
Type: Schlechter 14317 (holo B, lost; iso BR, P)
Epiphytic, almost stemless, to 12 cm high; roots elongated, flexuose, glabrous, flattened, rough-punctate, 0.25-0.35 cm wide. Stem almost lacking. Leaves reduced to minute scales. Inflorescence erect, nearly straight, to 12 cm long; peduncle slender, terete, densely squamulose-villose; rachis oblong, short, to 1 cm long, densely several-flowered, with the flowers turned to all sides. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, outside densely squamulose-villose, shorter than the ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals oblong, obtuse, glabrous, margins minutely and unequally crenulate-serrulate, c. 0.5 cm long. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals obliquely ovate, obtuse, somewhat smaller than the sepals. Lip in outline suborbicular, 3-lobed, 0.4 by 0.5 cm, in the middle with an oblong, in front acute concavity, glabrous; lateral lobes short, rounded, broadly obtuse; mid-lobe larger, subreniform, with obtusely acuminate apex, short; spur cylindrical, 0.7 cm long, with slightly dilated, obtuse apex; somewhat longer than the ovary. Column short; rostellum elongated, narrow, sharply acute, bifid. Anther at the base rounded, long rostrate, subobtuse; pollinia 4, obovoid; stipe very slender and narrow, apex dilated; viscidium narrow, oblanceolate, dorsally elongated, sharply acute. Ovary subclavate, densely squamulose-villose, 0.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower yellowish green.
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: 676-205M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.