Microtatorchis podochiloides J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 501, pl. 85, fig. 140
Type: Lam 1922 (holo L; iso BO)
Stem somewhat elongated, slender, to 3 cm long, leafy, rooting, internodes 0.18-0.3 cm long. Leaves very small, narrowly lanceolate, at the apex crenulate, subulate-acuminate, thin-textured, 3-nerved, 0.7-1.1 by 0.1-0.13 cm, towards the apex somewhat dilated. Inflorescences axillary, elongated, laxly many-flowered, producing flowers for a long time, 12-22.5 cm long, internodes 0.25-0.68 cm long. Floral bracts resembling the leaves of a Podochilus, patent to widely patent, lanceolate, at the apex irregularly crenulate to dentate, long subulate-apiculate, 3-nerved, to 0.75 by 0.13 cm, on either side with a subulate, to 0.24 cm long appendage. Flowers very small, 0.37 cm long and wide. Sepals and petals at the base parallel and connate into a tube that is split underneath, a little below the middle obtusely slightly recurved, at the apex slightly incurved, 1-nerved. Median sepal linear, subacute, 0.28 cm long, free part 0.23 by 0.12 cm, at the apex subulate-thickened, 0.13 cm long. Lateral sepals similar to the median sepal but oblique, 0.32-0.33 cm long, free part 0.22-0.23 cm long, the thickened part 0.15 cm long. Petals a little shorter, 0.28 cm long, free part subacute, 0.18 cm long, at the base somewhat rounded-dilated. Lip spurred, simple, narrow, when seen from above subulate, basal part thin-textured with erect margins, concave and including the column, at 1/3 above the base slightly obtusely curved, above subulate-swollen and slightly incurved, narrowly subobtuse, nerves 4, at 1/4 above the base merging into a pair, blade 0.28 cm long, when flattened 0.3 cm long, 0.08 cm wide, swollen part slightly more than 0.1 cm long; spur pointing backwards, subglobose, almost 0.1 cm long, at the apex mammillose-contracted. Column very short, 0.05 cm long, thick, dorsally convex, when seen from above almost up to the middle divided into two broad, concave, conduplicate, boat-shaped, obtuse stigmatic arms that surpass the anther and which underneath towards the base merge into a V-shape. Anther cucullate, obtuse. Pollinia 2, obovoid; stipe spathulate, viscidium oblong. Ovary 6-grooved, in the grooves sparsely blackish brown clavate-muriculate, 0.2 cm long. Fruit crowned by the remains of the flower, 6-angular, on the 6 keels sparsely clavate-muriculate, at the base and apex obtuse, when still immature slightly more than 0.6 cm long, 0.18 cm diam., very shortly pedicellate. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Roots, leaves, flowers and ovaries very light green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 1780 to 1800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 449-38M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.