Thrixspermum denticulatum Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 233
Type: Schlechter 14855 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, short-stemmed, to 12 cm high; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose glabrous. Stem unbranched, short, slightly flattened, entirely covered with the tightly clasping leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent or patent, oblong or oblong-ligulate, obtuse, at the apex minutely and unequally bilobulate, at the base a little contracted, glabrous, somewhat fleshy, 5.5-7 cm long, near the middle 1.7-2.5 cm wide. Inflorescences shortly pedunculate, not longer than the leaves; peduncle terete, glabrous, with a few laxly clasping peduncle-scales; rachis flattened, floral bracts bilaterally flattened, ovate, subobtuse, distichous, rather lax, a little shorter than the ovary. Flowers erect-patent, opening one by one. Sepals linear-lanceolate, acute, glabrous, 1.7 cm long. Lateral sepals subfalcate-oblique. Petals similar to the sepals, sublinear, subacute, somewhat oblique, 1.4 cm long. Lip at the concave base broadly cuneate, 3-lobed, c. 1 cm long, to at the tips of the lateral lobes 0.8 cm long; lateral lobes falcate-rounded, broadly obtuse, with denticulate margins; mid-lobe triangular-ovate, subobtuse, acuminate, towards the apex and the margins thickened; lip glabrous, at the base with a minute, oblong, puberulous callus, below the middle with a second, short, bilobulate callus. Column short; pollinia obliquely oblong; stipe transversely rhombic; viscidium transverse, almost crescent-shaped, narrower than the stipes. Ovary cylindrical, 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower yellow, brown towards the centre; basal callus of the lip purple-brown.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 690-69M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.