Octarrhena tenuis (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 25
Basionym: Vonroemeria tenuis
Stems elongated, branched, flexuose, thin, terete, leafy, internodes 0.6 cm long. Leaves patent, incurved, subterete, somewhat laterally compressed, thin-textured, subobtuse, finely warty, 0.7-0.8 cm long, 0.75 cm diam.; sheaths tubular, finely warty, 0.1 cm diam. Inflorescences perforating the sheaths near their base, patent, pedunculate, laxly racemose, c. 4-5-flowered, glabrous, 2 cm long, peduncle filiform 1.1 cm long, with a few small tubular scales; rachis 0.9 cm long, internodes on the side of the flower hollowed out. Floral bracts distichous, very small, appressed, triangular. Flowers very small, 0.3 cm long, 0.17 cm wide; the sepals connate into an oblique cup. Median sepal adnate to the base of the lateral sepals, strongly recurved, ovate-triangular, obtuse, strongly convex, 1-nerved, slightly over 0.2 cm long, 0.23 cm wide. Lateral sepals expanded into a broad, bilobed, helmet-shaped sac, 0.23 cm long, 0.33 cm wide, free part recurved, triangular, somewhat acute. Petals free, smaller than the sepals, broadly ovate, concave, at the apex obtusely recurved, 1-nerved, 0.15 by 0.14 cm. Lip hidden in the sac of the lateral sepals, immobile, porrect, simple, boat-shaped, oblong, 0.14 by 0.08 cm, obtuse, apiculate, only attached in the middle part of the truncate base, at the base on either side rectangular, in the basal 2/5 with two straight, parallel keels. Column very short, 0.04 cm long, at the apex triangular, obtuse, dorsally convex. Anther transversely elliptic, at the apex truncate, 0.08 cm wide. Pollinia probably 8. Rostellum porrect, obtuse. Stigma transversely bean-shaped. Column-foot hardly distinct, from its apex up to the apex of the column 0.15 cm long. Ovary oblong-obconical, 0.18 cm long; pedicel more slender, 0.13 cm long. (After Smith, 1911, as Vonroemeria tenuis J.J.Sm.)
Colours: Flowers not recorded.
Habitat: Terrestrial or epiphytic in mossy forest; 2400 to 3520 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, March, April, July, August, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 486-51M.JPG.
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.