Octarrhena aporoides (Schltr.) Schuit. 2003

Drawings by Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

Common Name The Aporum-Like Octarrhena

Flower Size

Found in New Guinea on trees in forests at elevations around 1800 to 2400 meters as a small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with a very short, stem-like rhizome giving rise to flexuous, thin, densely leafy stems carrying equitant, erect-spreading, glabrous, falcate-linear, apiculate, fleshy leaves that blooms in the spring on an axillary, peduncle short, few bracted, shorter than the leaves, 2 to 3 flowered inflorescence with ovate, acute, as long or slightly longer than the ovary floral bracts.

Schlechter states that the flowers are a brownish with a green lip and column or are yellow brown with a dark brown lip and column.

Synonyms *Chitonanthera aporoides Schltr. 1913; Chitonanthera oberonioides Schltr. 1913

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1913 as Chitonanthera aporoides drawing fide; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1913 as Chitonanthera oberonoides drawing fide

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