Appendicula palustris J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 4
Type: Versteeg 1157 (holo BO 2x; iso L)
Terrestrial. Stems erect, elongated, 70-80 cm long, internodes 1.5-2.5 cm long. Leaves patent, lanceolate, narrowed at the base, nerves 7, when dried underneath prominent, 8-11 by 1.5-2 cm wide, towards the apex acuminate and minutely serrulate or crenulate, at the apex bidentate with a mucro as long as or slightly longer than the teeth; leaf-sheaths tubular, slightly longer than the internodes. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, pendulous, sometimes few-branched, densely many-flowered, 6.5-8.5 cm long, entirely covered by the tubular peduncle sheaths. Floral bracts reflexed, just above the base incurved-patent, triangular-ovate, usually obtuse, apiculate, strongly concave, 5-nerved, 0.3 cm long. Flowers 0.65 cm across. Median sepal ovate, subacute, 3-nerved, 0.38 by 0.23 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, subacute, 3-nerved, keeled, 0.33 at the base 0.44 cm wide, decurrent on the column-foot; mentum long, broadly obtuse, parallel with the ovary. Petals spathulate, oblong, obtuse, 1-(weakly 3-)nerved, 0.36 by 0.15 cm. Lip parallel with the column-foot, erect, at the apex patent, when flattened broadly pandurate-spathulate, in outline obovate, 0.55 cm long, blade broader than the suborbicular, concave claw, suborbicular, 0.32 cm wide, convex, more or less retuse, in the sinus with a minute lobule, just below the apex with an erect, cylindrical-conical callus, inside with two keels terminating in the middle of the blade, blade at the base extended into a horseshoe-shaped, concave, carnose, slightly notched appendage that is much narrower than the claw and about as long. Column very short, to the apex of the rostellum 0.18 cm long; auricles short, obtuse. Anther cordate, 0.1 cm long, acuminate, obtuse or sometimes almost 3-denticulate, dorsally gibbose. Pollinia 6, clavate, stipes two, lanceolate, narrowed at the base. Rostellum triangular, bidentate. Stigma transversely oblong. Column-foot parallel with the ovary, at the apex incurved, 0.3 cm long. 0vary pedicellate, 6-grooved, 0.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1909).
Colours: Flower yellowish white, lip white. Column in front purple, at the back spotted purple.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest. Altitude 0-900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, June, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 57-145M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, keep in shade.
Note: Very closely related to Appendicula pendula.