Octarrhena latipetala (J.J.Sm.) Schuit., Blumea 48 (2003) 512
Basionym: Chitonanthera latipetala
Stems elongated, filiform, sparsely branched, strongly flexuose, rooting at the base, to 30 cm long, internodes 0.5-0.7 cm long. Leaves distichous, articulated, erect-patent, laterally compressed, falcate-incurved, linear-subulate, 0.7-1.7 by 0.05-0.1 cm, acute, on either side with a longitudinal groove; sheaths tubular, dorsally keeled near the apex, with the free apex patent, laterally compressed, somewhat fleshy, a little surpassing the internodes. Inflorescences perforating the sheath dorsally near the base, very short, 2-flowered, peduncle short, 0.l cm long. Floral bracts appressed, broadly triangular, subulate-acuminate, concave, dorsally keeled, 0.l cm long and almost as wide. Flowers very small, 0.25 cm wide, almost 0.3 cm long. Sepals widely patent, at the base shortly connate. Median sepal suborbicular, at the base broad, at the apex slightly acuminate and initially with incurved margins, narrowly obtuse, glabrous, 1-nerved, 0.18 cm long, almost 0.16 cm wide. Lateral sepals a little smaller, obliquely suborbicular, subacuminate and with the apical margins initially incurved, narrowly obtuse, at the base broad, glabrous, 1-nerved, 0.15 cm long, 0.14-0.15 cm wide. Petals very small, convex, puberulous, 1-nerved, 0.06 cm long, at the apex strongly recurved, clawed; claw short, rather broad, transversely quadrangular; blade transversely elliptic-oblong, subtruncate, on either side rounded, 0.05 by 0.08 cm. Lip porrect, slightly sigmoid, convex above, underneath in the basal part convex, in the apical part concave, oblong, when flattened slightly dilated towards the apex, obtuse, puberulous, 1-nerved, somewhat fleshy, 0.13 cm long, slightly over 0.05 cm wide. Column small, near the middle sharply recurved, in front convex, puberulous, 0.05 cm long, clinandrium bifid, with erect wings, triangular, concave, puberulous; stigma on the frontal face of the column, transverse. Anther transversely cucullate. Pollinia 4, narrowly oblong, compressed. Ovary pedicellate, , obliquely clavate, triangular, 0.08 cm long. (After Smith, 1915)
Colours: Flowers orange-yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 486-67M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.