Aglossorhyncha aurea Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 133
Type: Schlechter 14651 (holo B, lost; iso BR, K, P)
Roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems pendulous, more or less branching from the base, thinly terete in basal part, slightly laterally flattened towards the apex, to 50 cm long, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths rugulose, with prominent veins. Leaves erect-patent, linear-ligulate, 3.6-5 by 0.2-0.3 cm, subcoriaceous, shiny, apex unequally bilobulate. Inflorescences terminal on the branches, 1-flowered. Floral bract subcucullate, ovate, slightly longer than the ovary, apex apiculate to obtuse, thin-textured. Pedicel and ovary 0.6 cm long, sessile, subcylindric, glabrous. Flower c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, apex acute. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, slightly broader than the dorsal sepal, in basal 2/3 cohering along the inner margins, apex acute. Petals obliquely oblong-ligulate, 1 cm long, apex narrowly obtuse. Lip oblong, when flattened broadly ovate, 0.7-0.8 cm long, inside thickened-keeled along the mid-vein throughout its length, margins thickened, concave-incurved, apex shortly acuminate. Column slender, erect, clinandrium with serrulate margins, rostellum low. Anther rhomboid-rounded. Pollinia obliquely obovoid, viscidia 2, often more or less sticking together. (After Schlechter, 1905).
Colours: Flower golden yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest. Altitude 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (New Ireland). See map: 23-1M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.