Ceratostylis tenuis Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 74
Type: Ledermann 11623 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, very slender, to 20 cm high. Rhizome very short. Stems very slender, to 18 cm long, 1-leaved, at the base with a few acuminate, pale brown sheaths. Leaves erect, filiform-subulate, to 3 cm long, acute, above slightly grooved, much shorter than the stems. Floral head subglobose, to 0.7 cm across, sessile, surrounded by small hyaline scales, inflorescences subsessile, 1-flowered. Floral bract hyaline, ovate, apiculate, almost as long as the ovary. Sepals elliptic, hardly 0.2 cm long, rather obtuse, outside at the base sparsely finely pilose, glabrous towards the apex, lateral sepals at the base in front elongated and connate; mentum obliquely obovoid-inflated, 0.15 cm long. Petals obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, almost as long as the sepals. Lip broadly oblong-linguiform, 0.23 cm long, obtuse, in apical third abruptly curved back, narrowed, base cuneate, with two thin, parallel keels extending from the base to above the middle of the lip. Column short, glabrous, stigma-arms obliquely rhombic-quadrate, short, not reaching halfway the lip. Ovary very shortly pedicellate, clavate, 0.2 cm long, pilose. (After Schlechter, 1922).
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2070 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 125-151M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.