Oberonia falcifolia Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 150
Type: Schlechter 17160 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, spreading, several-stemmed, up to 40 cm long. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stems indistinctly flexuose, entirely hidden by the leaf-bases, laxly 6-9-leaved. leaves erect-patent or erect, linear-falcate, acute, free part 10-19 cm long, at the base 0.7-0.8 cm wide. Inflorescence slender, carrying flowers to above the base, elongated, cylindrical, densely many-flowered, almost as long as the upper leaves, 0.5 cm diam. across the flowers. Flowers minute, erect-patent, apex slightly incurved, glabrous. Floral bracts oblong, long apiculate, glabrous, margins towards the apex with several teeth, almost as long as the flowers. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals equally long, obliquely ovate, subobtuse, subfalcate. Petals subfalcate, lanceolate-ligulate, subacute, in the middle along the front margins a little widened, with minutely serrulate margins, about as long as the sepals. Lip 3-lobed, a little shorter than the sepals; lateral lobes basal, divergent, obliquely quadrate, truncate; mid-lobe distinctly longer, ligulate, apex subtruncate. Column very short, rather thick. Anther reniform, obtuse. Ovary clavate, glabrous, 0.2 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-112M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.