Ceratostylis longifolia J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 6
Type: Römer, von 1291 (holo BO; iso L)
Stems elongated, terete, 21.5-23.5 cm long. Leaf elongated, linear, apex conduplicate, acute, above on either side of the grooved mid-rib convex, 16.5-17.5 cm long, 1-1.1 cm wide. Inflorescences fascicled, many-flowered, peduncle short, 1-flowered, pilose, 0.2-0.28 cm long. Floral bracts rather large, at the base funnel-shaped, ventricose, acutely conical-acuminate, 0.45 cm long. Flowers medium-sized, 0.95 cm long. Sepals in the basal part parallel, at the base sparsely pilose outside. Median sepal in the middle recurved, oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved, 0.45 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, obtuse, 3-nerved, 0.43 cm long, to the apex of the mentum 0.88 cm long, 0.2 cm wide with a narrow basal part which is slightly longer than the column-foot, decurrent on the column-foot; mentum pointing backwards, straight, gradually clavate-inflated, obtuse, dorsally near the apex with a longitudinal concavity, 0.5 cm long, at the apex 0.15 cm wide. Petals narrowly rhomboid, acute, 1-nerved, 0.4 cm long, 0.16 cm wide. Lip spathulate, 0.825 cm long, claw linear, inside with 2 puberulous ribs, at the base slightly extended beyond the point of attachment, truncate-retuse, blade concave, indistinctly 3-lobed, 0.25 cm wide, lateral lobes erect, rounded, mid-lobe ovate, strongly thickened, broadly obtuse, convex on either side, inside at the base with a decurrent rib, longitudinally grooved below, 0.2 cm long, 0.1 75 cm wide. Column short, bipartite, 0.2 cm long, arms broad, broadly obtuse. Anther cucullate, apex truncate-obtuse, 0.08 cm wide. Column-foot, pointing backwards, straight, linear, 0.4 cm long. Ovary and pedicel pubescent, 0.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Flower violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 3200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 125-85M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.