Glomera terrestris J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 2 (1911) 6
Type: Kock, de 56 (holo BO)
Terrestrial. Stems laxly branched, slender, subterete, leafy, internodes 0.8-1 cm long or shorter than up to 0.08 cm diam. Leaves erect, lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, apex unequal truncate, at the base contracted, above convex with a median groove, below convex; thick fleshy, 1-2.2 cm long, 0.2-0.24 cm wide; sheaths surpassing the internodes, tubular, prominently veined above, apex appressed somewhat crisped pale fimbriate. Inflorescence terminal, 1-flowered, with two bracts. Floral bracts clasping the ovary and the base of the flower, cucullate, base tubular, apex laterally compressed-acuminate, nerves 8, dorsally prominent, furfuraceous-punctate, outer bract 1.1 cm, inner one 0.75 cm long. Flowers medium-sized. Median sepal oblong, at the base slightly narrowed, obtuse, subulate-apiculate, at the base 3-nerved, 1 cm long, 0.43 cm wide. Lateral sepals at the base along the front margin somewhat rounded-dilated, shortly connate, obliquely subobovate-oblong, somewhat falcate, rounded, subulate-apiculate, at the base 3-nerved, 0.85 cm long, above 0.38 cm wide, in the basal part 0.28 cm wide. Petals at the base cuneate, elliptic, rounded, at the base 3-nerved, 0.9 cm long, 0.53 cm wide. Lip slightly surpassing the column, at the base adnate to it, cucullate-concave, spurred, indistinctly 3-lobed, in total 0.67 cm long, to the apex of ovary 0.45 cm long, blade when flattened in outline suborbicular, mid-lobe acuminate, at the base transversely thickened, 7-nerved, 0.44 cm long, the adnate part 0.1 cm long, lateral lobes erect, appressed to the column, rounded, in front somewhat obtusely angled, mid-lobe triangular, obtuse; spur small, appressed to the ovary, subsigmoid-oblong, in front convex, dorsally flattened, apex bilobed, 0.3 cm long. Column dorsally convex, 0.2 cm long, clinandrium dentate, filament tooth-like, auricles parallel, shorter than the rostellum, tooth-like. Rostellum semiorbicular, deeply bifid, lobes obtuse. Stigma cup-shaped, lower margin strongly elongated, recurved, together with the rostellum in outline oblong. Column-foot almost absent. Ovary 3-grooved, furfuraceous-punctate, 0.6 cm long. (After Smith, 1913)
Colours: Flower white, lip apex black.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 3350-3550 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 322-140M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in light position.