Pedilochilus humile J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 440, pl. 70, fig. 87
Type: Lam 1471
Epiphyte, very small, tufted. Pseudobulbs close together, ovoid, longitudinally grooved, 0.5 by 0.36 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf oblong to lanceolate-subelliptic, acute, channelled, with convex sides, fleshy, 0.9-1.7 by 0.5-0.47 cm; base shortly cuneate and conduplicate; apex minutely cellular-crenulate; above obtusely angled. Inflorescences 1-flowered, fascicled; peduncle filiform, c. 1.2-1.4 cm long, with c. 3 small, tubular, to the top dilated sheaths. Floral bract obliquely funnel-shaped, 0.22 cm long; apex obliquely truncate, slightly keeled. Flower medium size. Median sepal broadly oblong, ovate-elliptic, slightly acuminate, acute, concave, 3-nerved, in total slightly more than 1 by 0.43 cm; base a short, almost 0.3 by 0.17 cm big claw; inside puberulous; dorsally to the base slightly papillose; margins finely ciliate. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, obtuse, obtuse, apiculate, concave, 3-(to 5-)nerved, in total c. 1.15 by 0.63 cm; base a short, oblique, 0.2 cm long claw; front margin abruptly bent inwards, outside on the bend keeled, finely ciliate; posterior margins involute, papillose; margins facing the median sepal dorsally papillose; inside sparsely puberulous. Petals clawed, strongly oblique, wavy, in the middle obliquely hollow-concave, in total 0.46 long; claw 0.13 cm long; blade obliquely oblong, above the base cuneate, dilated in the obliquely deltoid, shortly triangular-acuminate, acute, 0.35 by almost 0.3 cm; apex recurved, 1-nerved, dorsally strongly keeled, glabrous posterior margins strongly recurved-convex; front margin at the base abruptly angular-dilated, cuneate. Lip porrect, immobile, channelled, ribbed, when not flattened 0.75 by almost 0.4 cm; from claw short fleshy a thickening transversely with in blade conspicuously cymbiform-concave trilobulam obovate; margins incurved, dilated, 5-nerved; nerves 2, on either side margini close together; lateral basal lobes obliquely oblong, strongly falcate-recurved, somewhat acute; apical lobe incurved, then strongly recurved, 5-angular, acute; margins convex-swollen. Column thin, 0.25 cm long; stelidia elongated, distinctly surpassing the anther, filiform-subulate, slightly sigmoid; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the ovary, the apex free, obtusely angled, slightly incurved, thick, 0.15 cm long. Anther cucullate, oblong, 0.08 cm long; base shortly obtusely trilobulate, median lobule from connective convex-thickened; apex abruptly recurved, truncate, papillose. Ovary obliquely obconical, 6-grooved, 0.23 cm long; pedicel terete, slightly more than 0.4 cm long, 0.1 cm above the base articulate. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Pseudobulbs light green suffused with red at the apex. Leaves dark green above lighter beneath. Inflorescence reddish violet. Floral bracts light brown. Sepals light purplish yellow, dotted dark purple; base lighter. Petals purple and pale yellow. Lip outside greyish lilac, inside dotted purple. Column and centre of flower indistinctly lilac-yellow. Ovary dark reddish violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1420 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 534-17M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.