Vrydagzynea sessilifolia Ormerod, Austral. Orchid Rev. 63, 1 (1998) 13, fig.
Type: Streimann & Kairo NGF 35967 (holo LAE; iso AMES, BISH, BO, BRI, CANB, K, L, NSW, SING)
Terrestrial. Rhizome incomplete in specimens seen, rooting at nodes, 1.5-4.5 cm long, 0.1-0.15 cm thick. Stem erect, laxly foliose, 5-10 cm long, 0.15-0.2 cm thick. Leaves 4-6 per stem, green, very shortly petiolate; lamina ovate, acute, 1.6-2.5 by 0.6-1 cm; petiole 0.1- 0.15 cm long before dilating into sheathing base. Inflorescence terminal, minutely laxly pubescent, 5 cm long, 0.1 cm thick, elongating to 9 cm when bearing capsules; peduncle 3 cm long; rachis sublaxly 5-6 flowered, 2 cm long. Peduncle sheathing bracts two, 1-1.5 cm apart, ovate-lanceolate, acute, base amplexicaul, 10-12 mm long, 3-4 mm wide. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, 6-9 mm long, 2-4 mm wide. Pedicel with ovary erect, glabrous, 6-8 mm long, 1-1.5 mm thick. Capsule ellipsoid, 6-ribbed. Flowers glabrous. Dorsal sepal oblong-elliptic, emarginate and also thickened at apex, 5 mm long, 2 mm wide. lateral sepals oblong-elliptic, obtuse, thickened at apex, 5 mm long, 2 mm wide. Petals quadrate-elliptic, obliquely truncate, thickened at apex, the inner margin broadly agglutinate to the dorsal sepal to form a galea, 4 mm long, 2 mm wide. Labellum three-lobed, fleshy, 3.7 mm long, 2 mm wide (across hypochile unflattened); hypochile with lateral lobes truncate, obtuse, enfolded over column, 1.2 mm long, 2 mm wide; epichile ovate-elliptic, apex dorsally compressed, obtuse, margins inrolled, 2.5 mm long, 2 mm wide. Spur about oblongoid, slightly dilated medially, obtuse, 5 mm long, 2-2.5 mm diameter; internal appendages two, stipitate, globose, fleshy, about halfway along the back wall of the spur. Column as per genus. (After Ormerod, 1998)
Colours: Leaves green. Flowers white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest, sometimes growing in shallow streams on white sand; 1370 to 1830 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May, June, August, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 725-56M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.