Oberonia pachyglossa Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 177
Type: Schlechter 16756 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, pendent, up to 55 cm long. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem almost absent. Leaves c. 4, linear-ensiform, acute, the middle one longest, up to 50 cm long, towards the base c. 1.6 cm wide. Inflorescence carrying flowers up to the base, slender, usually somewhat surpassing the longest leaf; rachis papillose-puberulous. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, usually about as long as the flowers, margins dentate. Flowers very small, almost whorled-clustered, the whorls 0.3-0.5 cm apart. Sepals broadly ovate or elliptic, obtuse, c. 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely linear-ligulate, with subtruncate-broadly obtuse apex, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip subquadrate, at the base minutely indistinctly auriculate, with subtruncate, broadly obtuse, retuse apex, glabrous, carnose, 0.15 cm long, near the middle 0.12 cm wide. Column very short, rather thick, glabrous. Anther ovate, acute, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, papillose, c. 0.15 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers olive-green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-264M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.