Appendicula fallax Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 351
Type: Schlechter 19074 (holo B, lost)
Epiphyte, erect, 25-30 cm, high, several-stemmed; rhizome very short, roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous; stems unbranched, straight or almost straight, densely leafy, thinly terete, glabrous, entirely covered by the closely appressed leaf-sheaths, 0.2-0.25 cm diameter; leaves erect-patent, lanceolate, 2-3.5 cm long, in the middle or below the middle 0.5-0.8 cm wide, pointed, towards the apical margins minutely serrulate-denticulate, apex itself short 3-aristate. Inflorescences terminal, somewhat patent, rather laxly 10-15-flowered, up to 3 cm long; bracts reflexed, lanceolate, acute, usually about as long as the ovary. Flowers patent, glabrous. Median sepal oblong-ovate, obtuse, 0.4 cm long. Lateral sepals subacute, as long as the median sepal, in front towards the base strongly dilated, mentum oblongoid, broadly obtuse, 0.3 cm long. Petals obliquely sublinear-ligulate, obtuse, somewhat shorter than the sepals. Lip in outline oblong, somewhat dilated in front, in total 0.55 cm long, above the middle 0.3 cm wide, obtuse with a callus-like apiculum, in lower half concave, at the base with a quadrate-horseshoe-shaped appendage, which is dorsally truncate and gradually decurrent to the margins in the middle of the lip. Column short, rostellum erect, triangular, shallowly notched, stigma notched in front. Anther ovate-cordate, narrowly obtusely acuminate, dorsally with a small swelling; pollinia obliquely clavate, unequally long, stipe cucullate, in front gradually narrowed, somewhat shorter than the pollinia, viscidium small, elliptic. Ovary with pedicel shortly subclavate-cylindrical, glabrous, 0.3-0.4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower white, lip with red spots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 57-67M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.