Pedilochilus alpinum P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 251, fig. 89 a--j, o--p, pl. 86
Type: Balgooy, van 108 (holo L; iso K)
Small, epiphytic or terrestrial, sometimes mat-forming, up to 7 cm high herb. Rhizomes light green, creeping, branched. Pseudobulbs green or yellowish, glabrous, slightly apart, erect, ovoid, compressed, 2-5(-14) by 1-3 mm, at base covered by several bracts, these ovate-oblong, 12-15 by 3-8 mm, acute. Leaves olive green, lighter below, patent or spreading, papillate in apical part of margin only, oblong-elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 1-2.5(-7.5) by 0.3-0.5(0.8-1) cm, acute, V-shaped in cross sec tion, midrib grooved above, prominent and crenulate-wavy below, lateral nerves not or clearly visible, margin thin, crenulate wavy, revolute. Inflorescence solitary or in bundles of 2-4. Peduncle pale yellow or light green, glabrous, 1.5-7 cm long, at base with narrowly tubular, 3-8 mm long bracts, that are ob liquely truncate, acute, crested, with one bract halfway and one apical bract. Floral bract whitish, glabrous, widely funnel shaped, 4-6 by 2 mm, truncate and apiculate, 1-nerved. Pedicel glabrous, 2-5 mm long. Ovary olive yellow, glabrous, claviform, 1.5-3 mm long, 6-grooved. Flowers not resupinate. Median sepal glabrous on out side, subdensely puberulous on inside, margin fimbriate, sub orbicular-obovate or ovate, 14-16 by 6-8 mm, apiculate, clawed at base, 5-nerved, nerves crested on outside in basal part but midrib up to apical 1/4. Lateral sepals very finely papillate on outside, scattered finely papillate-puberulous on inside mainly in lower half, papillate along margin, obliquely ellip tic-ovate, 15-17 by 8-70 mm, acute, oblique at base, 5-nerved, nerves crested on outside in basal part, margin involute, very finely papillate on outside, papillate along margins, scattered finely papillate-puberulous on inside mainly in lower half. Lat eral petals glabrous, dark purplish red, obliquely ovate-quad rangular, 6-7 by 3.5-4 mm, obtusish, base shortly clawed, upper wing much wider than lower wing, sigmoid-wavy, 1-nerved, nerve widely crested and the crest sigmoid-wavy. Lip glabrous, 11-12 i by 5-6 mm, epichilium narrowly or broadly ligulate, 1.5-3 by 1.5-3 mm, obtuse, margin involute, not thickened, mesochilium obovoid in outline, 8-9 by 6-7 mm, margins thickened, 5-nerved, midrib crested on inside, grooved on underside, hypochilium at tip with 2 lateral oblong-falcate, 1.5-2.5 by 1 mm large, ap pendages, between these appendages a median pyramidal one with a transverse crest, c. 0.7 mm long. Column short, 1.5-2 mm long. Clinandrium entire. Stelidia subulate, straight, 1-1.2 mm (After van Royen, 1979)
Colours: Flower not resupinate, whitish, yellowish green or brown with purple dots, or very light yellow with purple tinge, or light brown with dark red brown spots on outside and red brown bands on inside, lip purple or light yel low with purple dots.
Habitat: Epiphyte; 2660-3560 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 534-1M.jpg.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, requires light position.