Appendicula sepikana Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 90
Type: Ledermann 11440; 11922a; 12108 b (syn B, lost)
Almost shrub-like, erect, 20-30 cm high, small epiphyte. Stems unbranched or almost so, densely leafy, entirely covered with the tightly clasping leaf-sheaths, thinly terete. Leaves erect-patent obliquely ligulate or lanceolate-ligulate, 1.5-2.3 by 0.4-0.7 cm long, acute or acuminate, somewhat unequally bi-aristate. Racemes apical, erect or curved, slightly longer to almost twice as long as the leaves, very shortly pedunculate, densely several-flowered. Floral bracts patent, lanceolate, subacute, than half as long as the ovary with pedicel. Flowers glabrous, outside sparsely and minutely furfuraceous. Sepals ovate, 0.3 cm long, apiculate. Lateral sepals at the base conspicuously widened and connate with the column-foot; mentum oblongoid, 0.18 cm long, broadly obtuse. Petals obliquely ligulate, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip in outline elliptic, 0.3 cm long, in the basal part 0.15 cm wide, above the middle 0.18 cm wide, obtusely apiculate, base rounded, the middle pandurate-contracted, at the base with a very small, concave, horseshoe-shaped, backwards pointing appendage. Column short, rostellum erect, short, strongly acuminate, foot ligulate. Ovary shortly pedicellate, cylindrical-clavate, 0.4 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1922).
Colours: Flower white, later yellowish.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1300-2070 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 57-187M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate to cool growing epiphyte.