Octarrhena umbellulata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 901
Type: Schlechter 18707 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO)
Epiphytic, very small, 5-8 cm high. Roots filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stem straight or little flexuose, leafy, covered with the leaf-sheaths, unbranched. Leaves erect-patent, subulate or subfiliform, subobtuse, 1.5-2.5 cm long, 0.08-0.1 cm diam. Inflorescence erect, slender, 1-1.5 cm long, apex 4-6-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate, acute, shorter than the ovary. Flowers almost arranged in an umbel, minute, glabrous. Sepals broadly ovate, obtuse, almost 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals suborbicular, obtuse, oblique, less than half as long as the sepals. Lip oblong-ligulate, obtuse, 0.08 cm long. Column short, thick, rostellum triangular, bidentate. Anther reniform-cucullate, umbonate, obtusely subrostrate; pollinia obliquely obovoid; stipe narrowly linear, almost twice as long as the pollinia; viscidium very small, suborbicular. Ovary shortly pedicellate, , clavate, 0.18 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers yellowish green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest; 1800 to 2900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 486-55M.JPG.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.