Saccolabiopsis alata J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 75, pl. 15, fig. 50
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 9894 (holo L)
Very small. Stem short, 0.8 cm long, c. 3-leaved; roots fairly thick, twisted. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, falcate, slightly narrowed towards the base and conduplicate, above on either side of the grooved mid-rib convex, dorsally keeled, somewhat fleshy, 2-2.8 by 0.48-0.54 cm, apex unequally bidentate, with the smaller tooth triangular, acute or subobtuse, the larger tooth obliquely truncate; leaf-sheath short, tubular, laterally flattened, open at the apex, longitudinally prominently obtusely nerved. Inflorescences perforating the leaf-sheath dorsally near its base, few-flowered; peduncle thin, towards the apex gradually broadly 3-winged, 1.4 cm long; peduncle-scales two, tubular, keeled; rachis narrowly winged, 0.5 cm long or more. Floral bracts appressed, channelled-concave, triangular, acute, keeled, the keel at the apex laterally flattened-apiculate. Flowers c. 7, very small, turned to all sides, widely patent, incurved, 0.33 cm long. Median sepal continuing the ovary, at the apex slightly incurved, strongly concave, oblong, towards the apex somewhat dilated, rounded, 1-nerved, 0.22 by 0.08 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, slightly dilated towards the apex, 0.18 by almost 0.1 cm, broadly obtuse, concave, 1-nerved, mid-rib dorsally thickened. Petals with the apex slightly incurved, concave, obliquely subangular-oblong, obtuse, narrowed towards the base, 1-nerved, 0.16 by 0.07 cm. Lip immobile, with the basal margin on either side appressed to the column, at the base slightly contracted, 3-lobed, spurred, including the spur 0.24 cm long, to the apex of the ovary 0.2 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.12 cm wide; lateral lobes near the mouth of the spur erect, obliquely quadrangular, at the base broad, obtuse, back margins subretuse, inside along the front margin with a small rib decurrent on the base of the mid-lobe; mid-lobe porrect, 3-lobulate, in outline triangular, 0.07 by almost 0.13 cm, basal lobules very small, widely patent, rounded, separated by a weak sinus from the almost flat, above slightly convex, triangular, obtuse, somewhat fleshy median lobule, mid-lobe underneath with a small concavity in the sinus between the mid-lobe and the spur forming a small hump at the base; spur making an acute angle with the ovary, straight, slightly dorsally flattened, to the base of the lip 0.18 cm long, in front view oblong-conical, in lateral view oblong, at the base funnel-shaped-widened, dorsally with 3 small indistinct ribs, back wall slightly sigmoid, apex obtuse. Column straight, at the base in front strongly contracted, obliquely clavate, 0.13 cm long; clinandrium concave, back wall elongated, semiorbicular, with slightly irregularly margin, inside with a small longitudinal rib terminating near the apex in a tooth; rostellum recurved, thick, almost hammer-shaped; stigma deeply concave, 4-lobulate, the lower margins with a tooth. Anther cucullate, cordate, rostrate, 0.07 cm wide, at the base shortly retuse; beak triangular, at the apex shortly contracted, recurved, truncate, slightly retuse. Pollinia well-separated on the stipe, strongly unequal, the two larger ones pear-shaped, at the base acute, the two smaller ones almost semi-obovate, lightly curved, at the apex minutely obtusely tridentate; stipe cuneate-spathulate, at 3/5 above the base slightly obtusely recurved, 0.06 cm long; viscidium subelliptic. Ovary pedicellate, curved, 6-grooved, in the grooves slightly furfuraceous, 0.2 cm long. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flowers very light yellow, lip white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 175 m.
Flowering time in the wild: August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 620-1M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.