Corybas betsyae

Corybas betsyae P.Royen, Phanerog. Monogr. 16 (1983) 83, fig. 20 ('betsyi')

Type: Royen, van 11204 (holo BISH)

Small, 2.5 cm high terrestrial. Tuber not seen. Stem very pale green, 0.9 cm long, 3-ribbed, glabrous. Cataphyll tubular, 0.65 cm long, acuminate, glabrous. Leaves sagittate, 2.1 by 0.7 cm, acuminate, margin crinkled-wavy, mid-rib sunken above, prominent below, basal nerve 1 on either side of mid-rib, venation hardly present; sparsely pellucid lenticelled. Pedicel 0.15 cm long, glabrous. Floral bract linear, but gradually widening towards base, 1.2 cm long, subulate in upper parts, glabrous. Ovary obliquely ellipsoid, curved, 0.4 cm long, 6-ribbed, glabrous. Median sepal narrowly spathulate, curved, boat-shaped, 1.6 by 0.6 cm, acute with upcurved tip, 3-nerved at the base, 5-nerved on hood, mid-rib crested on outside along entire length, glabrous. Lateral sepals linear, subulate in apical part, widening and boat-shaped in basal half, glabrous, 1.4-1.5 cm long. Petals similar, 0.7-0.9 cm long. Lip from a straight, tubular, 0.6 cm long basal part curving downward and widening into a 0.7 by 0.7 cm large blade, margin coarsely fimbriate, on inside between throat and margin with a broad belt of hispid hairs, glabrous on outside, 3-nerved at the base, 13-nerved near margin, mid-rib crested on outside; spurs narrowly conoid, curved, 0.25 cm long, glabrous. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1983).

Colours: Cataphyll light green. Leaves grass green above, slightly paler in the basal part. Pedicel green. Floral bract light green. Ovary whitish purple with darker ribs. Median sepal dirty white on outside but light green towards the apex, on inside with scattered purple spots that shine through on outside. Lateral sepals and petals light green. Lip on outside at claw whitish, on inside purple and this shining through on outside, otherwise maroon on both sides.

Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 1830 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 178-21M.JPG

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.

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