Oberonia rivularis Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 115
Type: Schlechter 13801 (holo B, lost; iso K)
Epiphytic, erect, stemless, 15-20 cm high. Roots filiform, flexuose, glabrous, elongated. Leaves equitant, distichous, erect-patent, sheathing at the base, linear, narrowed towards the apex, acute, rather thick textured, 9-20 cm long, in basal half 0.7-0.9 cm wide. Peduncle short, with a few scales; rachis spreading, rather thick, densely many-flowered, elongated, cylindrical, 10-13 cm long, almost 0.3 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts ovate, acuminate, with irregularly serrulate margins, as long as the ovary. Flowers whorled, erect, appressed to the rachis. Sepals broadly ovate, subobtuse, glabrous, almost 0.1 cm long. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals obliquely and narrowly lanceolate, acute, as long as the sepals. Lip quadrate-oblong with obtuse corners, at the base somewhat concave, slightly more than 0.1 cm long. Column rather thick, short. Anther obreniform, in front acute. ovary almost 0.1 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Lip green, the sepals and petals somewhat lighter so.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-316M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.