Arthrochilus dockrillii Lavarack, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 86 (1975) 25 155
Type: NP (Lavarack) 1691 (holo BRI; iso NSW)
Terrestrial, with a subterranean tuber. Leaves 1-2, basal, usually very unequal in size, but occasionally of equal size, thin, linear-lanceolate, to 20 by 0.5-1 cm, gradually narrowed to the base which encloses the peduncle. Below the lower leaf usually with a cataphyll. Inflorescence of few to 20 flowers, up to 20 cm long, usually longer than the leaves. Flowers widely spaced, lowermost about halfway along the peduncle. Peduncle scale about halfway between the lowest flower and the leaf base, ovate-lanceolate, sheathing, 0.5-0.7 by 0.1-0.2 cm. Pedicel slender, c. 0.1-0.2 cm long, ovary 0.4 cm long. Floral bracts similar in size and shape to the peduncle scale. Median sepal oblong-spathulate, 0.6 cm long, with incurved margins. Lateral sepals sharply deflexed, linear, slightly falcate, 0.6 by 0.1 cm, attached to the adaxial surface of the column-foot and decurrent on the column-foot to its point of attachment with the labellum. Petals sharply deflexed, narrowly linear, slightly falcate, 0.4-0.5 cm long. Lip articulate on the column-foot, very shortly clawed, oblanceolate, tip of the blade with a V-shaped notch, blade 0.5 by 0.2 cm, upper surface of the lip with a prominent insect-like callus 0.1 cm high and 0.3 cm long; callus beset with hair-like, 0.05-0.1 cm long processes, minutely hairy, with a few similar processes on base of the blade; callus appendage emarginate, extending towards the claw. Column curved, slightly shorter than the dorsal sepal; column-foot 0.2 cm long, dorsoventrally flattened and at right angles to the ovary; column wings in 2 pairs, the larger attached about halfway between the stigma and the ovary, obtuse, oblong, 0.2 cm long and 0.1 cm broad at the base; the smaller pair of wings attached behind the anther, narrowly triangular, 0.05 cm long; stigma below the anther, cup shaped, 0.05-0.1 diam. Anther terminal on the column. Pollinia not seen.(After Lavarack, 1975).
Colours: Not recorded.
Habitat: Terrestrial in seasonally wet places in savanna woodland.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Australia (Queensland).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 68-2M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires light position and a dry resting season.