Saccolabiopsis pallida (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 75
Basionym: Saccolabium pallidum
Epiphytic, delicate, almost stemless, erect, 4-5 cm high; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem almost lacking, entirely covered with the leaf-sheaths. Leaves distichous, erect-patent, subfalcate, narrowly oblong-ligulate, apex minutely and unequally bilobulate, glabrous, thin-textured, 2.5-4 cm long, near the middle 0.4-0.6 cm wide, somewhat narrowed towards the base; leaf-sheaths 0.5-0.7 cm long. Inflorescence slender, short, as long as or shorter than the leaves, with a few small distant peduncle-scales; rachis almost as long as the peduncle, laxly 10-15-flowered. Floral bracts patent, ovate, acuminate, glabrous, shorter than the pedicellate ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals oblong-subspathulate, obtuse, glabrous, 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals oblique, similar to the sepals but smaller, hardly more than 0.1 cm long. Lip ovate, indistinctly 3-lobed, 0.1 cm long, apex subobtuse; lateral lobes erect, inconspicuous; spur conical, somewhat incurved, in front towards the apex somewhat flattened, obtuse, almost 0.2 cm long. Column very short; rostellum minute. Anther ovate, in front truncate; pollinia 2, minute, globose, pendulous; stipe at the base narrow, dilated towards the pollinia, at the apex shortly bifid, with the two segments carrying the pollinia; viscidium very small, ovate, almost as large as the pollinia. Ovary shortly pedicellate, c. 0.25 cm long, glabrous. Fruit cylindrical, c. 1.5 cm long, 0.2 cm diam. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower light yellow, lip pure white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 100 to 150 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 620-6M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.