Calanthe micrantha Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 383
Type: Schlechter 18823 (holo B, lost; iso L)
Terrestrial, slender, erect, 35-55 cm high; rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous; leaves erect-patent, elliptic, acuminate, at the base cuneate, narrowed into the petiole which is dilated and sheathing at the base, blade 10-25 cm long, near the middle 4-8 cm wide, glabrous on both sides; Inflorescence slender, terete, with few, distant, clasping, acuminate, minutely puberulous scales; rachis rather densely many-flowered, up to 15 cm long, 2 cm diameter (measured across the flowers); bracts ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, puberulous, somewhat shorter than the pedicellate ovary. Flowers erect-patent, eventually becoming almost patent. Sepals reflexed, elliptic, obtuse, 0.4 cm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals reflexed, ligulate-linear, obtuse, somewhat dilated towards the apex, glabrous; about as long as the sepals. Lip as long as the petals, deeply 3-lobed, lateral lobes divergent, ligulate-oblong, obtuse, 0.25 cm long, mid-lobe oblong, up to the middle narrowly obtusely bilobulate, 0.28 cm long, at the mouth of the spur with 3 calli, in front of these with 4 very small warts, spur straight, horizontal, cylindrical, somewhat widened at the apex, subbilobulate, glabrous, 1.1 cm long. Column widened towards the apex, glabrous, auricles rounded-triangular. Anther broadly ovate-cucullate, glabrous, in front minutely notched, dorsally umbonate; pollinia obliquely clavate, about equal-sized; viscidium rounded, medium-sized. Ovary with pedicel subclavate, nearly glabrous, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower whitish green, lip almost white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1800-3353 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, March, May, June, July, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-224M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in shade.
Note: A common species.