Robiquetia Gaudich.,
in Freyc., Voy. Uranie, Bot. (1826) 426, t. 34
Monopodial epiphytes. Stem elongated. Leaves few to many, arranged in two rows, sheathing at the base, spreading in one plane, glabrous, deciduous, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, a dense, many-flowered raceme, rarely branched, usually pendulous. Flowers small, resupinate, often fairly brightly coloured. Sepals free. Petals free, somewhat smaller than the sepals. Lip adnate to the column, spurred, the spur inside with or without callosities, often abruptly swollen near the apex. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, cleft, solid, caudicles absent, stipe present, longer than pollinia, viscidium present.
Distribution
Sri Lanka, tropical continental Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Pacific islands, east to Tonga. About 40 species; in New Guinea about 5 species.
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland and hill forest.
Notes
The New Guinea species of Robiquetia are robust monopodial epiphytes with often attractive red, orange, or brown-spotted flowers. There are few, if any, characters which consistently separate Robiquetia from Malleola, although most species can be referred to the proper genus at first sight. Robiquetia is more diverse in the shape and coloration of the flowers. Species of this genus are easily cultivated.