Ceratostylis muscicola J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 387, pl. 56, 43
Type: Lam 1917 (holo L; iso BO)
Rhizome short, branched, Growing in tufts. Stems close together, in cross section ovate, 9.5-20 cm long, 0.2-0.28 cm diam., 1-leaved, initially in the basal part covered with imbricating, acute, laxly reticulate-veined, membranous, up to 5.5 cm long sheaths which increase in size upwards. Leaf erect, linear, apex conduplicate and strongly laterally compressed, at the base gradually narrowed, obtusely channeled, fleshy, 14-17 cm long, 0.5-0.68 cm wide; sheath tubular, torn in front, 0.45-0.55 cm long. Inflorescences fascicled, peduncle 0.2 cm long, 1-flowered, with four, at the base obliquely funnel-shaped, acute, overlapping, glabrous, membranous, hyaline scales. Floral bracts similar to the scales, 0.28-0.3 cm long. Flower 0.4 cm long, sepals and petals subparallel, apices somewhat divergent. Median sepal oblong, narrowed from the middle upwards, acute, concave, dorsally slightly puberulous, 3-nerved, 0.25 cm long, 0.13 cm wide. Lateral sepals along the front margins somewhat dilated and connate, obliquely oblong, towards the apex narrowed, acute, concave, dorsally in the basal part puberulous, 3-nerved, 0.25 cm long, along the front margins 0.35 cm long, at the base 0.18 cm wide, above the base 0.14 cm wide; mentum shortly saccate, pointing backwards, forming an angle acute with the ovary, rounded, almost 0.1 cm long. Petals obliquely lanceolate, in apical 2/5 acuminate, acute, 1-nerved, about 0.2 cm long, 0.07 cm wide. Lip parallel to the column-foot and column, above the base obtusely recurved, shortly clawed, oblong, when flattened in total 0.32 cm long, claw 0.04 cm long, 0.14 cm wide, basal margins finely ciliolate, from the middle upwards enlarged-thickened, glabrous, in apical 1/3 carnose-thickened and slightly contracted, convex, obtuse, below convex with an inconspicuous longitudinal groove, with two parallel, thin, ciliolate keels in basal half, with a third keel arising from the apical thickening, this keel decurrent near the base and very thin in the basal part. Column 0.15 cm long, beyond the middle bifid, dorsally convex, on either side with a small longitudinal rib, arms porrect, parallel, straight, oblong, rounded-truncate, inside concave, outside convex. Anther cucullate, 0.06 cm wide, convex, semiovate, apex rounded, at the base 4-lobulate. Pollinia 8, small, obliquely obovate, outside convex, inside flat. Rostellum U-shaped, notched. Column-foot very short, with the ovary making an acute angle, with the column making an obtuse angle, 0.06 cm long. Ovary with pedicel puberulous, 0.26 cm long. Fruit triangular in cross-section with a rib on each side, at base and apex obtuse, 0.95 cm long, the sides 0.26 cm wide. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Sepals and petals dirty red, tips pale yellow, lip bright yellow, base pale yellow, column pale yellow, ovary dirty red, fruit greenish yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 1500-1780 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 125-98M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.