Appendicula rostrata J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 452, pl. 76, 327
Type: Gjellerup 1040 (holo BO; iso L)
Stems closely spaced, elongated, becoming branched, in the basal part covered with sheaths, otherwise leafy, 70 cm long, internodes to 1-1.2 cm long, above and on the branches shorter. Leaves patent, narrowly lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, membranous, to 4.3 by 0.7 cm (upper leaves smaller), unequally bidentate, mucronate, with the subulate mucro much longer than the teeth, above very minutely erose, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below; sheaths tubular, longer than the internodes, sparsely punctate. Inflorescences terminal, mostly unbranched, sometimes with a basal branch, laxly many-flowered, peduncle 0.5-2 cm long, with a few small, basally tubular, lanceolate-elongated, erect or erect-patent scales; rachis flexuose, thin, angular, 3.5-7 cm long. Floral bracts patent or widely patent, ovate or ovate-oblong, decurrent, shortly acutely apiculate-acuminate, with recurved margins, 3-nerved, to 0.55 cm long. Flowers very small, scarcely 0.5 cm long. Sepals dorsally sparsely furfuraceous-punctate. Median sepal adnate to the base of the lateral sepals, ovate-triangular, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, concave, indistinctly 3-nerved, 0.33 by 0.18 cm. Lateral sepals decurrent on the column-foot, along the front margins deeply saccate-connate, obliquely erect, broadly obliquely ovate, triangular-acuminate, at the apex recurved, rather obtuse, apiculate, dorsally keeled, indistinctly 1-nerved, in total when flattened 0.5 cm long, above the base 0.3 cm wide; mentum short, very broadly rounded, with the ovary making a straight angle, 0.17 cm long. Petals obliquely linear-lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, recurved, shortly triangular-pointed, at the base shortly decurrent, somewhat erose except at the base, indistinctly 3-nerved, 0.3 cm long, at the base 0.1 cm wide. Lip inserted on the apex of the column-foot, erect, at the apex reflexed, 5-nerved, when flattened at the base shortly clawed, ovate, weakly 3-lobed, 0.4 cm long, blade 0.28 by 0.23 cm, at the apex obtuse and concave; basal appendage large, concave, at the apex retuse, distinctly larger than the claw of the lip, arms in front decurrent on the blade, forming decumbent lamellae parallel with the margins and vanishing in the middle of the blade. Column making an almost straight angle with the ovary, dorsally convex, 0.2 cm long, at the apex broadly triangular, obtuse. Anther cucullate, reniform, 0.08 cm wide, gibbose, abruptly contracted in a conspicuous, at the apex distinctly dilated, 3-lobulate beak. Pollinia 6, obliquely long pear-shaped; stipe spathulate, 0.08 cm long. Rostellum porrect, triangular, deeply acutely bidentate. Stigma transverse. Column-foot making a straight angle with the ovary, at the apex strongly incurved, oblong, concave, when not flattened 0.2 cm long. Ovary straight, 6-grooved, sparsely furfuraceous-punctate, 0.3 cm long. Fruits widely patent, triangular, 6-ribbed, (immature) 1 cm long. (After Smith, 1916).
Colours: Flower white, tip of column bluish violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 57-181M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.