Liparis flabellata J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 27
Type: Versteeg 1690 (holo BO)
Epiphytic. Pseudobulbs closely spaced, very small, 1.5 cm long, 1-leaved. Leaf erect, narrowly lanceolate, gradually acuminate, gradually narrowed and conduplicate towards the base, underneath with c. 5 prominent nerves, 13-18 cm long, 1.25-1.35 cm wide. Inflorescence erect, laxly few- [c. 6-] flowered, at the base with an acutely acuminate, 2 cm long spathe; peduncle 56 cm long, rachis c. 4.8 cm long. Floral bracts linear-lanceolate, acute, 0.9-1.8 cm long. Flowers 2.75 cm long, with semi-reflexed sepals and petals. Median sepal linear-lanceolate, obtuse, with strongly revolute margins, 3-nerved, 1.5 cm long, 0.38 cm wide. Lateral sepals similar, oblique, slightly falcate, margins strongly revolute, outside shortly keeled near the apex, 1.5 cm long, 0.35 cm wide, when not flattened 0.1 cm wide. Petals linear, subobtuse, with revolute margins, 1-nerved, 1.5 cm long, almost 0.1 cm wide. Lip porrect, somewhat above the base slightly decurved, at the base very shortly clawed, with a longitudinal, convex, at the apex raised, truncate, slightly hollowed out callus, blade cuneate-obovate, at the apex broadly rounded, duplicate-crenulate, 1.4 cm long, 1.2 cm wide. Column rather slender, at the apex almost hook-like incurved, dilated at the base, in front concave, on either side of the stigma indistinctly winged, 0.65 cm long, auricles rounded; stigma quadrangular. Ovary pedicellate, , twisted, strongly 6-ribbed, 1.75 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Flowers hyaline with a longitudinal orange line on the lip.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 416-167M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.