Robiquetia gracilistipes (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 72 (1912) 113
Basionym: Saccolabium gracilistipes
Epiphytic, pendent, unbranched, c. 35 cm long; roots rather thick, filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem rather thick, 0.6 cm diam., flexuose, leafy, covered with the clasping, striate-veined leaf-sheaths. Leaves oblong-ligulate, apex obtusely and unequally bilobed, glabrous, coriaceous, towards the base slightly narrowed, 10-15 by 2.5-3.5 cm. Peduncle slender, terete, glabrous, with a few distant, clasping peduncle-scales, 5-6 cm long; rachis slender, densely many-flowered, cylindrical, 12-17 cm long, c. 1.2 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts recurved, lanceolate, acuminate, almost as long as the flowers, glabrous. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals oblong, obtuse, 0.4 cm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals similar to the sepals but a little shorter, oblique, obtuse, glabrous. Lip 3-lobed, c. 0.5 cm long; lateral lobes erect, obliquely oblong, in front obtuse, truncate; mid-lobe much larger, ovate, obtusely acuminate; spur pendent, 0.4 cm long, slightly incurved, funnel-shaped, apex widened, obtuse, inside dorsally with a longitudinal lamella that does not reach the base of the column. Column short, thick; rostellum very short, emarginate. Anther ovate, in front subobtusely acuminate; pollinia 2, globose, stipe slender subfiliform, almost 3 times longer than the pollinia; viscidium rounded, minute. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, glabrous, c. 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower yellow, inside with brown dots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland and lower montane forest, also in Metroxylon swamps; 25 to 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: Flowering observed in every month of the year.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Australia, Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 617-20M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.