Appendicula callifera J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 3
Type: Versteeg 1369 (holo BO 2x; iso BISH, K, L)
Epiphytic. Stems closely spaced, elongated, thinly terete, many-leaved, 40-60 cm long, 0.35 cm thick, internodes 1.1-1.3 cm long. Leaves half-twisted at the base, subovate-oblong, apex obtuse 2-lobate, lobes rounded with a longer mucro in between, mid-rib grooved above, prominent underneath, 2.8-5 by 1.1-1.8 cm; leaf-sheaths tubular, longer than the internodes. Inflorescences axillary, perforating two sheaths, much shorter than the leaves, 4-8-flowered, rachis 0.9-1.6 cm long. Floral bracts widely patent or slightly recurved, broadly ovate, acuminate, acute, concave, 0.45-0.53 by 0.3-0.33 cm. Flores widely patent, 0.05 cm wide and long. Median sepal broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, 3-nerved, 0.48 by 0.4 cm. Lateral sepals divergent, obliquely triangular, at the base strongly obliquely dilated, subacute, outside obtusely keeled, 4-nerved, 0.5 cm long, at the base 0.6 cm wide; mentum straight, oblong, obtuse, slightly retuse, dorsally longitudinally grooved, 0.45 cm long. Petals broadly elliptic, obtuse, 1-nerved, 0.4 by 0.33 cm. Lip parallel with the column-foot, erect, adnate with the broad claw, at the apex strongly recurved, when flattened in outline obovate, 0.8 by 0.5 cm, claw concave, inside with a smaller, horseshoe-shaped, truncate or hardly retuse, carnose callus which on either side is decurrent on the margins of the upper half of the lip; blade slightly 3-lobulate, convex, in the middle with a large callus, lobules broadly obtuse, the median lobule much larger than the erect lateral lobules, semiorbicular, subretuse. Column short, 0.28 cm long, clinandrium dentate, auricles triangular, acute. Anther cordate, 0.2 cm long, acuminate, at the apex narrowly obtuse, finely mucronate, connective thickened. Pollinia 6, unequal, very long clavate; stipes narrow, lanceolate, free to the base, about as long as the pollinia. Rostellum triangular, bidentate, concave. Stigma semilunate. Column-foot making an acute angle with the ovary, almost straight, 0.03 cm long. Ovary pedicellate 0.45 cm long. (After Smith, 1909).
Colours: Leaves green. Lip with two violet spots, colours otherwise not recorded.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 0 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 57-31M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.