Microtatorchis doctersii J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 77, pl. 16, fig. 52
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 10301 (holo BO)
Plant very small. Stem short; roots thin, terete, somewhat twisted, to 11 cm long, to 0.07 cm diam. Leaves 3-5, very small, lanceolate, obtuse or acute with a laterally compressed-subulate, acute apicule, at the base narrowed and conduplicate, on either side of the channelled mid-rib convex, below angular-thickened, almost keeled, at the apex keeled, carnose, 1-1.3 by 0.3-0.28 cm; sheaths very short. Inflorescences many, elongated, very many-flowered, rather dense, producing flowers for a long time; peduncle angular, 1.2-2 cm long, with sparse small scales; rachis slightly flexuose, compressed, winged, to 3.75 cm long, across the bracts 0.22 cm wide, internodes 0.15-0.16 cm long. Floral bracts distichous, inserted on the broad sides of the rachis, patent, slightly incurved, concave, triangular, subulate-acuminate, 0.1 cm long, narrowed towards the base, on either side forming rather conspicuous wings that are decurrent on the rachis, on either side with a shorter, laterally compressed-subulate, acute appendage. Flowers very small, 0.25 cm long, 0.18 cm wide. Sepals and petals at the base connate into a tube that is split underneath, when flattened in total almost 0.2 cm long, 0.33 cm wide, each 1-nerved, free parts porrect, divergent. Median sepal almost 0.2 cm long, free part narrowly triangular, slightly acuminate, acute, 0.13 by 0.06 cm. Lateral sepals 0.2 cm long, free part obliquely narrowly triangular, at the apex somewhat contracted, subacute, concave, 0.15 cm long, at the base 0.06 cm wide. Petals shorter, 0.16-0.18 cm long, free part ovate-triangular, at the base on either side rounded and covered with the sepals, narrowed towards the apex, acute, slightly more than 0.1 cm long, 0.08 cm wide. Lip porrect, straight, spurred, when seen from above at the base shortened-ovate, narrowly triangular-contracted, subacute, without hair-like appendage, with the margins incurved above the base, forming a transversely elliptic hollow, in lateral view indistinctly 3-lobate, convex below, 4-nerved, 0.16 cm long, at the point of attachment 0.08 cm wide; spur pointing backwards, appressed to the ovary, short, subglobose, at the base contracted, at the apex depressed-truncate, with a few longitudinal grooves, obscurely lobulate, slightly more than 0.05 cm long, 0.08 cm wide. Column very short, dorsally slightly recurved, bilobed, 0.03 cm long, 0.06 cm wide; clinandrium concave, almost semiorbicular; arms of the stigma porrect, short, triangular, obtuse, outside convex, inside concave, in front along their margins merging into a V-shape. Anther cucullate, in frontal view quadrangular, narrowed towards the apex, retuse. Ovary rather thick, with 5 distinct ribs and the frontal rib hardly developed, 0.08 cm long; pedicel 0.04 cm long. Fruit obliquely elliptic, curved, 6-ribbed, finely warty, 0.42 cm long, 0.25 cm diam. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flowers greenish yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte on thin branches in riverine forest; 250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 449-14M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.