Oberonia torana J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1915) 216, pl. 70, fig. 122
Type: Gjellerup 777 (syn BO); 912 (syn BO; iso L)
Very small epiphyte. Rhizome creeping, terete; sheaths shortly tubular, shorter than the internodes. Stems distant (0.2-0.4 cm apart or more?), somewhat elongated, laterally compressed, 1-3 cm long (or more?), laxly c. 3(-4)-leaved. Leaves laterally compressed, linear, falcate-incurved, acute, the sides convex, carnose, not articulated, near the base split, the middle one largest, to 3.3-3.5 by 0.23-0.3 cm; sheath tubular, laterally compressed, ancipitous, carnose, including the split part to 0.9-1 cm long, 0.25-0.33 cm wide. Inflorescence many-flowered, 3.2-4.5 cm long, peduncle short, covered by the scales; rachis angular. Floral bracts appressed, equalling the flowers, oblong, acuminate, with irregular margins, concave, 0.13 cm long. Flowers in the basal part arranged in c. 8-flowered whorls, above mostly spirally arranged, widely patent, minute, 0.1 cm diam.; sepals and petals widely patent. Median sepal ovate, acute, not nerved, 0.06 by 0.04 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, slightly acuminate, convex, not nerved, 0.05 by 0.04 cm. Petals oblong-subelliptic, except at the base with coarsely erose margins, not nerved, 0.06 cm long. Lip 3-lobed, concave, when flattened 0.05 cm long, including the lateral lobes 0.06 cm long; lateral lobes auricle-like, almost semiovate, oblique or slightly falcate, obtuse, outside irregularly crenate, 0.03 cm long, mid-lobe subquadrangular or transversely subelliptic, subretuse, irregularly dentate, 0.04-0.05 cm wide. Column very short, at the apex dilated, broader than long, 0.03 cm long, clinandrium broad, concave, wings obtuse. Anther very small, transversely elliptic. Ovary 0.08 cm long. (After Smith, 1915)
Colours: Flowers purple-brown or light red-brown.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 25 to 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 485-379M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.