Oberonia reversidens J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 21, pl. 5, fig. 9
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 9433 (holo BO; iso L [sterile])
Stems closely spaced, elongated, ribbon-like, compressed, winged by the decurrent leaves, 8.5-16 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm wide, across the leaves 0.7-1 cm wide, internodes 0.75-1 cm long; roots thin. Leaves c. 13-19, very small, not articulated, erect-patent, laterally compressed, near the base split and sheathing, narrowly triangular, slightly incurved, 1.1-1.5 by 0.33-0.4 cm, acute or with an acuminate apiculum. Inflorescence densely many-flowered, cylindrical, in the apical part more laxly flowered, across the flowers almost 0.4 cm diam.; peduncle c. 1 cm long, with a few small leaf-like scales; rachis narrowly many winged-angular, 4.1 cm long. Floral bracts appressed, concave, oblong-triangular, acute, with slightly irregular margins. Flowers patent, slightly more than 0.1 cm wide, almost 0.2 cm long, with strongly revolute sepals and petals. Sepals subovate-triangular, obtuse, 0.08 by 0.06 cm. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely linear, obtuse, almost 0.1 cm long, almost 0.03 cm wide. Lip porrect, 3-lobed, 3-nerved, almost 0.2 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.1 cm wide; lateral lobes (auricles) pointing backwards, falcate-incurved, clasping the column, angular-convex, obliquely oblong, at the apex obtuse, contiguous, with irregular inner margins, 0.08 cm long; mid-lobe with the lateral lobes making an obtuse angle, slightly incurved, orbicular or subelliptic, at the apex distinctly rounded-bilobulate with a short backwards pointing, triangular tooth in the sinus, entirely finely laciniate-serrate with erect-patent teeth, 0.1-0.13 cm long, slightly more than 0.1 cm wide. Column minute. Anther cucullate, equilaterally rounded-trapeziform, at the broad apex abruptly extended into a triangular apiculum. Ovary pedicellate, 0.08 cm long. Fruit subelliptic, triangular, 6-ribbed, slightly more than 0.3 cm long, pedicel 0.1 cm long. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flowers orange-red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in swamp forest; 50 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 485-310M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.