Rhinerrhizopsis moorei (Rchb.f.) Ormerod, Oasis, Suppl. 1 (2001) 3
Basionym: Thrixspermum moorei
Rather robust epiphyte; stem more or less growing horizontally, up to 20 cm long, leafy in upper part, usually unbranched. Leaves 7-30 by 1.5-6 cm, oblong, thin but leathery, apex variable, usually obliquely obtuse or acute, sometimes distinctly bilobed. Inflorescence arising near the lowest leaves, usually pendulous, sometimes erect, 8-45 cm long, a densely many-flowered raceme; rachis usually longer than the peduncle, not swollen. Flowers opening widely and simultaneously, up to 2.5 cm wide, lasting less than one day. Sepals 0.6-1.4 by 0.4-0.7 cm, obovate-spathulate, obtuse. Petals 0.6-1.2 by 0.3-0.6 cm, more narrowly obovate-spathulate, apex emarginate. Lip spurred, 3-lobed, 0.7 cm high from the top of the spur to the apex of the lateral lobes; at the base with a rounded, sometimes glandular hairy callus; lateral lobes somewhat longer than the spur, ovate-falcate, often with erose margins, obtuse or acute; mid-lobe very short, reduced to a small deltoid callus; spur oblongoid to conical. Column 0.2-0.3 cm long, broad; rostellum prominent, tooth-like, decurved; column-foot 0.2-0.4 cm long. Pollinia 4, on a narrowly linear stipe slightly longer than the pollinia; viscidium very small. (After O’Byrne, 1994)
Colours: Flower pale yellow with orange-brown spots; lip whitish with purple and orange-brown spots, spur pale yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland rainforest, beach forest, mangrove forest, hill forest and on solitary trees, often along streams; 0 to 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Australia, Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 792-1M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, in light shade or full sun.