Liparis acaulis Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 102
Type: Schlechter 14474 (holo B, lost; iso BO, BR "14475", NSW, P "14475")
Epiphytic, caespitose, 40-50 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots elongated, flexuose, smooth. Pseudobulbs hardly developed, reduced to a minute conical swelling, 1-leaved. Leaves erect, at the very base articulated, basally narrowed, spathulate-oblong, acute, 30-50 cm long, in apical half 3.5-5 cm wide. Inflorescence seemingly basal (in reality arising from the apices of the reduced pseudobulbs), erect, covered with a few distant very small sheaths, angular; rachis laxly several-flowered, quaquaversal, much shorter than the leaves. Floral bracts erect-patent, lanceolate, acuminate, shorter than the ovary. Flowers spreading, usually not resupinate. Median sepal lanceolate-oblong, acute, 0.9 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, acute, as long as the median sepal. Petals linear, obtuse, a little longer than the sepals. Lip at the base ascending, porrect, cuneate-obovate, c. 1 cm long, in apical half 0.7 cm wide, shortly acuminate, towards the apex with minutely undulate-crenulate margins, at the base on either side auriculate-thickened, in the middle with a very small obtuse callus. Column erect, a little widened at the slightly incurved apex. Anther rounded, in front obtuse. Ovary c. 1.2 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flowers green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 800 to 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 416-3M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.