Oberonia odontopetala Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 159
Type: Schlechter 19571 (holo B, lost; iso BO, L)
Epiphytic, erect, very small, several-stemmed, up to 18 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem short, densely 4-5-leaved, often hardly more than 3 cm long, entirely hidden by the leaf-bases. Leaves erect-patent, linear, acute, usually subfalcate-oblique, free part 6-12 cm long, at the base 0.4-0.6 cm wide. Inflorescence carrying flowers up to the base, suberect, densely many-flowered, elongated, to 13 cm long. Floral bracts narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, with subdentate margins, dorsally keeled, almost as long as the ovary. Flowers almost whorled, closely spaced, patent, minute, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, 0.08 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, obtuse, as long as the median sepal. Petals in outline obovate-spathulate, obtuse, margins in apical half coarsely few-dentate, almost as long as the sepals. Lip at the base cordate-auriculate, 3-lobed; lateral lobes patent, obliquely oblong, broadly obtuse, margins subdentate; mid-lobe much larger, broadly obcordate, margins subdentate. Lip only a little longer than the sepals, at the base 0.05 cm wide. Column very short, rather thick, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, including the pedicel 0.1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers red-brown.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 485-258M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.