Oberonia rhizomatosa J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 45 (1911) 2
Type: Gjellerup 156 (holo BO)
Rhizome elongated, creeping, thin, internodes long with short, triangular, basally tubular sheaths. Stems 0.7-3 cm apart, erect, short, 6-leaved. Leaves equitant, erect-patent, not articulated, laterally compressed, linear, acute, at the base sheathing and splitting, to 7-8 cm long, 0.38 cm wide, the lower ones very small. Inflorescence shorter than the leaves, laxly many-flowered, 4.5 cm long, rachis 3-4 cm long. Floral bracts oblong-triangular, slightly acuminate, concave, erose, 0.075 cm long. Flowers almost whorled, mostly six per whorl, minute. Median sepal recurved, ovate, obtuse, convex, 0.06 cm long. Lateral sepals recurved, obliquely ovate, obtuse, convex, 0.06 cm long. Petals ovate, strongly narrowed, with wavy margins, 0.06 cm long. Lip almost flat, 3-lobed, at the base concave, when flattened in outline subquadrangular, 0.075 cm long and almost as wide; lateral lobes somewhat clasping the base of the column, oblique, falcate-ovate, broadly obtuse, convex; mid-lobe separated from the lateral lobes by a constriction, transverse, in outline subelliptic, at the apex slightly bilobed with a broad sinus. Column 0.03-0.04 cm long. Ovary 0.08 cm long. Fruit (immature) triangular, the angles erose, 0.2 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Flowers reddish brown.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest, growing in shaded positions; 700 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 485-311M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.