Ceratostylis formicifera J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 5
Type: Römer, von 349 (holo BO)
Stems terete, 0.14 cm diam. Leaf terete, acute, above grooved to the base, 2.2 cm long, 0.16 cm diam.; sheath short. Inflorescences fascicled, peduncle shortly glabrous 0.2 cm long, 1-flowered. Floral bracts at the base subinflated-tubular, appressed, membranous, 0.13 cm long. Flowers 0.43 cm long, 0.28 cm wide. Median sepal erect, apex recurved, elliptic-oblong, narrowly obtuse, convex, 3-nerved, 0.23 cm long, about 0.1 cm wide. Lateral sepals with a long, falcate, inflated base decurrent on the column-foot and towards its apex dilated, mentum long club-shaped, incurved, longitudinally grooved, bilobed, sparsely pubescent, 0.3 cm long, free part of the lateral sepals with recurved apex, obliquely ovate, somewhat acuminate, 3-nerved, 0.23 cm long, 0.13 cm wide. Petals obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, acute, at the base concave, above recurved and convex, 0.23 cm long, 0.06 cm wide. Lip strongly curved, spathulate, 0.18 cm long, ciliate except at the thickened apex, 3-nerved, claw concave, linear, at the base with two minute auricles, blade ovate-elliptic broadly obtuse, at the base concave, for the greater part carnose-thickened, convex, 0.18 cm long, 0.15 cm wide. Column 0.1 cm long, arms broad, broadly obtuse, convex outside, concave inside. Anther cucullate, 0.05 cm wide. Pollinia 8, obliquely obovoid. Column-foot making an acute almost right angle with the ovary, somewhat curved, linear, apex free, obtusely incurved, 0.25 cm long. Ovary pilose, 0.23 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Flower light purple, lip apex yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 0 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 125-52M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.