Agrostophyllum appendiculoides Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 277
Type: Schlechter 19537 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K)
Epiphytic, erect or patent, small, up to 30 cm long. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stems unbranched, very densely leafy, somewhat compressed, entirely covered by the close-fitting leaf-sheaths. Leaves patent or erect-patent, oblong-ligulate, apex shortly bilobulate, glabrous, somewhat narrowed at the base, 1.4-2 cm long, near the middle 0.4-0.6 cm wide; leaf-sheaths at the apex on both sides produced into a small linear, acute tooth. Capitulum 6-10-flowered, semiglobose, about 1.5 cm across, at first enveloped by several wide, obtuse sheaths. Peduncles short, erect or erect-patent, covered with a few imbricating scales, usually 1-flowered. Floral bract very small, hyaline, apiculate. Flowers erect or erect-patent. Sepals ovate, acute or apiculate, glabrous. Median sepal 0.45 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, somewhat decurrent at the base, 0.55 cm long. Petals obliquely ligulate, obtuse, glabrous, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip in basal part oblongoid- saccate, very weakly 3-lobed; lateral lobes reduced to a minute, obtuse tooth; mid-lobe with a short, quadrate claw, dilated into a reniform, trilobulate blade, apex shortly emarginate, lobules rounded, the median lobule longer than the laterals, lip (including the sac) 0.75 cm long; blade of mid-lobe above the base 0.5 cm wide, in front of the opening of the sac with a papillose, emarginate, transverse lamella. Column short, slightly thickened, about half as long as the lip, next to the stigma on each side dilated into a short, fleshy lobe, below the stigma in front adorned with a fleshy disc with thickened margins, column in basal half swollen in front. Anther semiglobose-cucullate, shortly apiculate, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flower pure white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1220-1500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-3M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.
Note: Related to Agrostophyllum fragrans Schltr., Agrostophyllum verruciferum Schltr., Agrostophyllum fibrosum J.J.Sm. and Agrostophyllum patentissimum J.J.Sm.