Liparis lacus J.J.Sm. in L.S.Gibbs, Phytogeogr. Fl. Arfak Mts. (1917) 111
Type: Gibbs 5689 (holo BM; iso BO)
Rhizome creeping, covered with sheaths that increase in size, the final one the largest, leaf-like, tubular, to 3.75 cm long. Pseudobulbs to 3 cm apart, 2-leaved. Leaves ovate, acuminate, acute, with curved veins, with sparse cross-veins, with abaxially prominent mid-rib, when dried membranous, 4.5-6 by 2.75-3-5 cm; petiole broadly channelled, including the sheath that clasps the pseudobulb 2-2.75 cm long. Inflorescence terminal, erect,, densely many-flowered; peduncle 4-4.3 cm long, at the base thickened into an ovate, carnose, 1.6-2.2 cm long pseudobulb; rachis 0.9-1.4 cm long. Floral bract subulate, acute, 1-nerved, 1-2 cm long, at the base 0.27 wide. Flowers turned to all sides. Median sepal oblong-ovate, gradually acuminate, acute, convex, 3-nerved, 0.93 by 0.35 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong-ovate, gradually acuminate, 3-nerved, just above the base 5-nerved, mid-rib prominent outside, as long as the median sepal. Petals linear, gradually narrowed towards the apex, acute, 1-nerved, 0.83 cm long, at the base 0.1 cm wide. Lip porrect, 0.85 by 0.7 cm, slightly sigmoid, strongly concave, convex below, 3-nerved, when flattened angular-ovate, slightly cordate, with angular, rounded basal lobules, apex abruptly triangular-acuminate, lip apically pellucid-punctate, finely erose, inside above the base with a U-shaped, at the base rounded, in front gradually vanishing callus, with a longitudinal, linear, convex, towards the apex lower, very minutely papillose-rugulose band extending to beyond the middle of the lip, the band between the legs of the callus passing into an almost semi-orbicular concavity. Column short, broad, distinctly curved, in outline oblong-quadrangular, apex truncate, at the broad base truncate, dorsally convex and near the apex with two longitudinal ribs, in front concave, without anther 0.25 cm long; clinandrium small, concave, with small longitudinal rib that is decurrent on the rostellum; wings obtuse. Anther cucullate, much prolonged beyond the thecae, in outline subquadrangular or rather 7-angular, apex abruptly subulate-acuminate, at the base truncate, 0.14 cm long, the connective thickened into a small longitudinal rib, thecae suborbicular. Pollinia 4, arranged in pairs, laterally compressed, triangular, outside convex. Ovary pedicellate, 6-ribbed, 0.9 cm long. Fruit oblong-obovoid, at the base acute, 1.1 cm long, pedicel 1.1 cm long. (After Smith, 1917)
Colours: Flowers green with brown lip.
Habitat: Terrestrial in primary hill forest and young secondary montane forest, sometimes gregarious; 600 to 2100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, May, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 416-248M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate to cool growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.