Cadetia ledifolia (J.J.Sm.) W.Kittr., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 30 (1984, publ. 1985) 98.
Basionym: Dendrobium ledifolium.
Rhizome short. Stems crowded, conical, grooved, 0.75 cm by 2.6 mm, 1-leaved. Leaves lightly recurved, lanceolate, 1.85-3.5 by 0.5 cm, carnose, apex very shortly bidentate, apiculate. Inflorescences terminal from the leaf axil as well as subterminal below the abaxial side of the leaf, 1-flowered; peduncle 0.46 cm long. Pedicel and ovary 1 cm long, 6-ribbed. Flower c. 0.8 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate, 0.43 cm by 2.4 mm, apex acute. Lateral sepals obliquely broadly ovate-triangular, 0.43 cm by 3.6 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate; mentum 0.38 cm long, 1.8 mm wide, obtuse, retuse. Petals obliquely linear, slightly falcate, slightly widened at the base, 0.5 cm long, in the middle 0.5 mm wide, apex acute. Lip clawed, 3-lobed at the base of the blade, including the claw 0.77 long, claw linear-oblong, 0.4 cm long, the basal 1 mm adnate to the column-foot, papillose inside at the base, the blade 0.38 by 0.43 cm; lateral lobes patent, obliquely cuneate-trapezoid, 0.14 by 0.18 cm, rounded; midlobe broadly obreniform, 0.27 by 0.55 cm, very fleshy, apex minutely ciliolate, in the sinus with a very short obtuse apicule. Column 0.18 cm long, margins minutely papillose, stelidia tooth-like, incurved, papillose, filament triangular, incurved; column-foot 0.38 cm long, pubescent inside.
(after Smith, 1934).
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland rainforest on hills. Altitude 200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Puncak Jaya Regency: Rouffaer River).
Map: LEDIFMAP.JPG [Cadetia ledifolia (J.J.Sm.) W.Kittr., distribution map.]
Notes: Cadetia ledifolia is somewhat similar to Cadetia finisterrae, but the latter has very slender, terete stems, forward projecting, not patent lateral lobes, a callus at the base of the midlobe, etc.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.