Cadetia subfalcata (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 91.
Basionym: Dendrobium subfalcatum.
Rhizome short. Stems crowded, erect, slender, widened in upper part, sharply 4-angled, 4.25 cm long, at apex 2.6-4.3 mm diameter, 1-leaved. Leaves subfalcate, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-oblong, 5-6 by 1.3-1.55 cm, rather fleshy, apex obtuse, unequally bidentate. Inflorescences terminal from the leaf axil, fascicled, 1-flowered, spathe oblong, 0.7-1 cm long. Pedicel 0.9 cm long, triangular; ovary 0.18-0.2 cm long, sharply triangular in cross section, with low lateral ribs. Flower resupinated, c. 0.8 cm across. Dorsal sepal oblong, 0.4 cm by 2 mm, apex very shortly acuminate. Lateral sepals obliquely subovate to suborbicular, 0.37 cm by 2.7 mm, apex broadly obtuse; mentum straight, subellipsoid to subglobose, 0.2 cm long, 0.15 cm wide, broadly obtuse. Petals patent, falcate-incurved, subspathulate, much dilated at the base, 0.36 cm by at the base 1.5, in the middle 1 mm, margins erose, apex acute. Lip 3-lobed in the middle of the blade, clawed, 0.36 by 0.24 cm across the lateral lobes, between the lateral lobes with longitudinal hairy bands; lateral lobes erect, strongly obliquely ovate, rounded; midlobe much larger, dilated to the apex, 0.17 by 0.36 cm, very fleshy, in the basal part with 5 short thick keels, apex retuse, with a small rounded apicule. Column 0.17 cm long, stelidia triangular, acuminate, longer than the triangular filament; column-foot pubescent.
(after Smith, 1916).
Colours: Flower pale yellowish, lip pinkish white, midlobe yellowish white, column white, anther white with purple margins and a triangular purple spot.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 50-100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency).
Map: SUBFAMAP.JPG [Cadetia subfalcata (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., distribution map.]
Notes: Cadetia subfalcata differs from the very similar Cadetia lucida and Cadetia takadui mainly by the midlobe of the lip, which is provided with 5 short keels.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.