Corybas vespertilionis P.Royen, Phanerog. Monogr. 16 (1983) 116, fig. 32
Type: Brass 12477 (holo L)
Small, 8 cm high terrestrial. Tuber ovoid, 0.8 by 0.5 cm. Stem 3 cm high, twisted, narrowly 3-winged, glabrous. Cataphyll tubular, 0.8 cm long, acute, margins ciliate, otherwise glabrous. Leaves broadly ovate-cordate, 2.2 by 1.5 cm, acute and plicate at tip, at the base cordate, margin deeply crinkled and wavy, mid-rib sunken above, somewhat prominent below, basal nerves 2 on either side of mid-rib, only inner one reaching the apex of the leaf-blade, cross-veins 1 or 2 on either side of the mid-rib, connate to inner basal nerve; with scattered pellucid lenticels. Pedicel 0.3 cm long, glabrous. Floral bract linear but ovate at the base, 1.5 by 0.25 cm, caudate, glabrous. Ovary narrowly clavate, 1.3 by 0.25 cm, 3-ribbed, with antrorse, subappressed long papillae on the ribs. Median sepal fishtail-like, from a 0.5 cm wide base widely flaring out into two, 1.7 by 1 cm large lobes, margin fimbriate-denticulate, distal margin crinkled, mid-rib well developed, lateral nerves one on either side of the base, 8-nerved near margin, hispidulous-papillate on outside of the hood on the nerves only. Lateral sepals and petals subulate, 0.7 cm long, glabrous, petals slightly shorter than the sepals. Lip tubular in basal part, ventrally inflated, blade 2-lobed, lobes orbicular-hood-shaped, 1 by 0.8 cm, margins scarious denticulate-ciliate, with a median, anvil-shaped, longitudinally grooved boss, between boss and the incised tip with a median line of hairs, margin denticulate-fimbriate. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1983).
Colours: Lip heavily coloured with red and deep purple on white ground.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Altitude 2150 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 178-133M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.