Oberonia chenii Ormerod, Orchadian 14 (2004) 378
Basionym: Hippeophyllum microphyllum
Plants epiphytic, glabrous. Rhizome elongated, creeping, 3-6 cm long, 0.1-0.15 cm diam., with long internodes; cataphylls membranous, translucent, cylindrical, 0.2 cm long; roots 2 or 3 at the base of each stem. Stems 0.5-1(-1.5) cm apart, 1-1.5 cm long, 4- to 6-leaved. Leaves laterally compressed, equitant, subfalcate-linear, 1-3 by 0.15-0.2 cm, long-acuminate at apex, broadly membranous-margined toward the base. Inflorescence 3-4.5 cm long, many-flowered; peduncle 0.2-0.3 mm long. Floral bracts linear, membranous, translucent, 0.08 by 0.02 cm; pedicel with ovary 0.05 cm long. Flowers c. 0.08 cm across. Sepals broadly ovate-elliptic, 0.05 by 0.04 cm, obtuse. Petals narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 0.05 by 0.02 cm, acuminate, with irregularly serrate margins. Lip broadly ovate-oblong, 0.045 by 0.04 cm, constricted near the middle and bilobed at apex, forming two basal auricles and two apical lobes; auricles and lobes with erose margins. Column 0.01 cm long, dilated at apex. Capsule ellipsoid, 0.2 by 0.17 cm. (After Chen, 2003, as Hippeophyllum microphyllum)
Colours: Leaves light green. Flowers red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane oak forest; 840 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 485-458M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.