Octarrhena spathulata (Schltr.) Schuit., Blumea 48 (2003) 512
Basionym: Chitonanthera spathulata
Epiphytic, densely tufted or bushy, many-stemmed, 20-30 cm long. Rhizome short. Stems erect or overhanging, unbranched, densely leafy. Leaves equitant falcate-ligulate, 1.1-1.5 by 0.25-0.4 cm, acute or subacute, below the middle articulate, dorsally long decurrent on the stem. Inflorescences erect-patent, few-flowered, about half as long as the leaves, usually less than 0.6 cm long; peduncle short. Floral bracts deltoid, shorter than the ovary. Flowers minute, c. 0.4 cm across. Sepals patent, oblong or elliptic, 0.2 cm long, subobtuse, glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals extremely small, obliquely oblong, obtuse, minutely papillose. Lip a little shorter than the sepals, 0.18 cm long, obovate-spathulate, broadly obtuse, 3-nerved, minutely papillose. Column rather thick, terete, almost three times longer than the petals, about 0.1 cm long, minutely papillose; clinandrium lobes dorsally abruptly bent backwards, lanceolate-triangular, subobtuse; rostellum erect, triangular, very small. Ovary subsessile, short, 0.15 cm long, cylindrical, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1922)
Colours: Flowers brownish yellow, lip dark red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 1400 to 1500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 486-70M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.