Glossorhyncha caespitosa P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 572, fig. 198
Type: Hartley 11212 (holo L 2x)
Small, much branched, densely bushy, up to 25 cm high, epiphytic herb. Stems filiform, glabrous. Leaves patent, subcoriaceous, glabrous, lanceolate, 0.4-1.1 by 0.1-0.2 cm, obtuse and sulcate at tip, narrowed at base, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, with 2 lateral nerves on either side of mid-rib innermost close to mid-rib and prominent above only, outer ones prominent on underside only, margin faintly irregularly wavy; sheaths smooth or very rarely with a few scattered warts, tubular, 0.2-1.2 cm long, slightly widened at tip, with few, dark brown, straight or flexuose, 0.05-0.15 cm long bristles with few warts, few-ribbed. Spathe widely orbicular, tubular, 0.4 by 0.25 cm, obtuse and apiculate, 7-nerved, mid-rib slightly crested at tip and surpassing tip of bract, smooth. Floral bract similar to spathe but thinner, 1-nerved, of similar size or slightly longer. Ovary sigmoid, clavate, 0.4 cm long, 3-winged, each wing composed of a double ridge, glabrous. Flowers slightly pendulous. Median sepal glabrous, elliptic-ovate, 0.5 by 0.3 cm, oblique at base with an oblong, 0.2 by 0.25 cm, rounded appendage, obtuse and cucullate at tip, entire sepal 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, mid-rib crested at tip. Petals glabrous, oblong, 0.5 by 0.1 cm, rounded, 3-nerved. Lip adnate to base of column, rhombic-cordate 0.2 by 0.2 cm, slightly 3-lobed, rounded at tip, 5-nerved, papillate on either side in a small apical part; spur sac-like, 0.35 by 0.75 cm, rounded. Column curved, 0.2 by 0.15 by 0.15 cm, clinandrium dentate-crenate. Rostellum broadly 2-lobed. Anther cucullate-kidney-shaped, 0.12 by 0.1 by 0.08 cm, retuse at either end, connective umbonate in basal part. Pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.05 cm long. Capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1979).
Colours: Flowers white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 3048 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-16M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.
Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.