Liparis caricifolia Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 188
Type: Schlechter 18590 (holo B, lost; iso BO, E, L, MO, NSW, S)
Terrestrial, erect, 40-50 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, thick; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, finely villose. Stems 2 cm apart or more closely spaced, carnose, short, usually 4-leaved from base to apex, 2.5-4 cm long. Leaves erect-patent, linear, acute, veined, glabrous, above the base a little widened, 30-50 cm long, near the middle 0.8-1.4 cm wide. Inflorescence slender, usually somewhat curved, angular or subterete, glabrous, almost as long as the leaves, with or without a few small bract-like scales; rachis laxly or rather laxly many-flowered, up to 25 cm long. Floral bracts erect-patent, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, a little shorter than the ovary, glabrous. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals reflexed, oblong-ligulate, apiculate, outside thickened along the mid-vein, glabrous. Median sepal 0.8 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, a little shorter. Petals reflexed, narrowly falcate-linear, acute, at the base somewhat dilated. Lip curved, quadrate-clawed at the base, 0.65 cm long, across the blade 0.75 cm wide, at the base with an oblong, erect, in front hollowed out callus which almost surpasses the claw of the lip, blade subreniform-flabellate, apex subretuse with a lobe-like, acute tooth in the sinus, margins densely serrate. Column slightly curved, at the base strongly dilated, margins distinctly winged, with a minute tooth on either side near the middle, glabrous, 0.4 cm long. Anther ovate, in front oblong-prolonged, obtuse, glabrous. Ovary and pedicel slender, cylindrical, glabrous, c. 1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers light green. Lip initially with brown margins, later becoming orange-brown. Column wings orange-brown.
Habitat: Terrestrial in montane forest; 1400 to 2000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 416-82M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.