Oberonia elegans Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1922) 63
Type: Ledermann 6694 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, several-stemmed, erect, to 40 cm tall. Stems elongated, very densely leafy. Leaves equitant, to c. 2 cm long, free blade very short, triangular-falcate, acute. Inflorescence densely many-flowered, to 7 cm long, cylindrical, suberect, 0.5 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, with irregular margins, almost as long as the ovary. Flowers very small, almost whorled. Sepals ovate, 0.08 cm long, obtuse, the lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely ligulate, obtuse, almost as long as the sepals. Lip at the base with long auricles, blade rectangular-oblong, in front bilobed, 0.15 cm long, lobes in front obtuse, obliquely oblong, outer margins irregularly coarsely dentate; basal auricles clasping the column, obliquely oblong, obtuse, thinly keeled, about a third shorter than the blade. Ovary cylindrical glabrous, slender, 0.18 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1922)
Colours: Flowers dark yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in dense lowland forest on hill slopes; 60 to 80 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-102M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.