Corybas amabilis P.Royen, Phanerog. Monogr. 16 (1983) 33, fig. 3
Type: ANU (Flenley) 2394 (holo CANB)
Small, 5 cm high terrestrial. Tuber ovoid-globose, 0.5 cm across. Stem 1 cm long, 4-ribbed. Cataphyll tubular, 0.6 cm long, subcaudate. Leaves ovate, 1.8 by 1.2 cm, acute, at the base cordate, mid-rib slightly sunken above, prominent below mainly in basal half, basal nerves 2 on either side of the mid-rib, inner one reaching tip of leaf, outer one up to 3/4, cross-veins 7 or 8 on either side of the mid-rib, connate to inner basal nerve, venation widely reticulate, all nerves distinct by a different coloration than of leaf surface. Pedicel 0.05 cm long. Floral bract linear, ovate at the base, 1 by 0.2 cm, acute and recurved. Ovary obliquely cylindrical, 0.7 by 0.3 cm, 6-ribbed, glabrous. Median sepal obovate-cucullate, up to 2.5 by 1 cm, rounded and apiculate at tip, 3-nerved at the base, 9-nerved on hood, mid-rib slightly sunken, scattered warty on outside of hood, otherwise glabrous. Lateral sepals and petals linear, ovate in basal part, 0.55-0.6 cm long, acute. Lip from a 1.5 by 0.8 cm large tubular part slightly curved and spreading into an orbicular, slightly 3-lobed, 1.2-1.6 by 1.3-1.8 cm large blade, margin coarsely laciniate-fimbriate, boss in throat conoid, tube 5-nerved at the base, blade up to 12-nerved. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1983).
Colours: Flowers white, median sepal red on outside, lip purple veined.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 2000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-12M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.