Saccolabiopsis rectifolia, commonly known as the tiny pitcher orchid,[1] is an epiphytic orchid from the family Orchidaceae. It has a short stem, thin roots, between three and six crowded leaves and up to fifteen cup-shaped green flowers with a white, purple spotted labellum. It grows on the thinnest outer branches of rainforest trees in tropical North Queensland, Australia.
Saccolabiopsis rectifolia is a tiny epiphytic herb with a single main growth, thin roots and an unbranched stem NaNmm long. There are between three and six crowded, thin, light green to yellowish leaves NaNmm long and NaNmm wide. Between four and fifteen cup-shaped, resupinate green flowers about 3mm long and 2mm wide are arranged on a thin flowering stem NaNmm long. The sepals and petals are about 2mm long and 1mm wide. The labellum is white with purple spots, about 2mm long and 1.5mm wide with a beak-like tip and a nectar bearing spur. Flowering occurs from June to August.[2]
The tiny pitcher orchid was first formally described in 1967 by Alick William Dockrill and given the name Robiquetia rectifolia. The description was published in Australasian Sarcanthinae.[3] In 1972, Leslie Andrew Garay changed the name to Saccolabiopsis rectifolia.[4] The specific epithet (rectifolia) is derived from the Latin words rectus meaning "straight", "upright", "proper" or "right"[5] and folia meaning "leaves".
Saccolabiopsis rectifolia grows on the thinnest outer branches of rainforest trees between the Russell and Johnstone Rivers in Queensland.