Ceratostylis tetrarioides Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 72
Type: Ledermann 11603; 11684 (syn B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, slender, caespitose, to 35 cm high. Rhizome very short. Stems very slender, terete, 15-28 cm long, hardly 0.1 cm wide, 1-leaved, at the base with a few pale, acuminate sheaths, erect. Leaves erect, linear or narrowly linear, 7-10 cm by 0.2-0.3 cm, acute, base narrowed. Floral head ellipsoid, to about 0.4 cm across, surrounded by shortly acuminate scales, inflorescences very shortly pedunculate, 1-flowered. Floral bract hyaline, elliptic, apiculate, about as long as the ovary. Flowers outside finely pilose. Sepals oblong, 0.3 cm long, rather obtuse, lateral sepals oblique, at the base along the front margin elongated and connate, forming an obliquely obovoid, broadly obtuse, 0.15 cm long sac. Petals at the base oblong-ligulate, lanceolate-attenuate, rather obtuse, glabrous, almost as long as the sepals. Lip at the base oblong, elliptic-dilated, 0.4 cm long, in apical 5th contracted, ovate, thickened, apex itself obtuse, with three thin keels extending from the base of the lip to the apical third. Column short, extending to more than halfway the lip, arms narrowly oblong, large, foot rather long. Ovary shortly pedicellate, 0.3 cm long, clavate, pilose. (After Schlechter, 1922).
Colours: Flower white tinged red with golden yellow lip.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2070 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 125-153M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.