Podochilus hellwigii Schltr., Mm. Herb. Boissier 21 (1900) 22
Type: Hellwig s.n. (IV-1889) (New Guinea, Sattelberg) (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, decumbent, very small, up to 20 cm long, branching. Rhizome elongated, stem-like, slender; roots flexuose, rather thick, terete, glabrous. Stems and branches filiform, densely leafy, terete, glabrous, entirely covered with leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, oblong-ligulate or lanceolate-ligulate, glabrous, 0.4-0.6 cm long, near the middle 0.15-0.25 cm wide, at the base cuneate, at the apex oblique, long apiculate. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal from the apices of the branches, erect or pendent, 2-4-flowered, up to 0.5 cm long, with short peduncle. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous, soon becoming pendent, about as long as the ovary. Flowers patent, glabrous. Sepals ovate, apiculate, almost 0.2 cm long. Lateral sepals at the base along the front margin much expanded and connate; mentum suborbicular with four obtuse humps, 0.15 cm diam. Petals obliquely ovate-elliptic, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip elliptic, somewhat narrowed towards the base, 0.28 cm long, above the middle almost 0.1 cm wide, obtuse, at the base below the point of attachment extended into a short, truncate, subquadrangular appendage. Column very short. Column-foot long, apex incurved; rostellum triangular, shortly bifid. Anther ovate-cordate, acuminate, broadly umbonate; pollinia obliquely clavate; stipe obtriangular, cucullate, shorter than the pollinia; viscidium minute, ovate. Ovary and pedicel short, clavate, glabrous, c. 0.2 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers white, petals with an oblong purple spot.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 30 to 1250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, April, May, June, August, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 568-54M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.