Porphyrodesme Schltr.,
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 982
Monopodial epiphytic plants. Stem elongated. Leaves many, sheathing at the base, glabrous, dorso-ventrally flattened, articulate, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, a panicle. Flowers very small, resupinate or not, (orange-)red. Sepals free. Petals free, narrower than the sepals. Lip adnate to the column, saccate, not mobile. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, solid-waxy, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
Borneo, New Guinea. About 3 species; in New Guinea one species [Porphyrodesme papuana Schltr.].
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland forest.
Notes
A relative of Renanthera with similarly vividly coloured flowers, in Porphyrodesme papuana even the inflorescence itself being bright red. Unlike Renanthera the flowers are quite minute, however, and they differ in the presence of two entire pollinia. Very rare in cultivation, although this genus may have potential value for adding strong red colours (including that of the peduncle and rachis of the inflorescence) to its hybrid offspring.