Glossorhyncha pinifolia P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 575, fig. 199
Type: ANU (Walker) 5145 (holo L)
Erect, much branched, up to 50 cm high, epiphytic or terrestrial herb, the branches rather close against the main stem. Stems terete, glabrous. Leaves patent, coriaceous, glabrous, linear, 0.5-1.2 by 0.07-0.2 cm, obtuse, narrowed at base, 3-nerved, with the nerves prominent above or on either side, margin sometimes strongly involute and the leaf needle-like, transparent, irregularly crenulate mainly in apical part; sheaths tubular, 0.5-2.5 cm long, with few, straight or flexuose, 0.05-0.1 cm long bristles, many-ribbed, warty mainly on the ribs. Spathe glabrous, narrowly ellipsoid, 0.75-0.8 cm long, obtuse, 7-nerved, mid-rib crested in apical part, slightly extended. Floral bract similar to spathe, thinner and 3-nerved only. Flowers slightly pendulous. Median sepal glabrous, narrowly elliptic, 0.8 by 0.25 cm, cucullate and rather obtuse at tip, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, mid-rib at tip slightly carinate and extended. Lateral sepals free, glabrous, falcate-ovate, 0.65-1 by 0.25-0.3 cm, obtuse, 5-nerved, mid-rib crested towards tip and slightly extended, at base with an obliquely ovate, 0.15-0.2 by 0.1-0.15 cm large, obtuse appendage. Petals glabrous, narrowly elliptic, 0.7-0.85 by 0.15-0.2 cm, subacute, 5-nerved, mid-rib crested at tip and slightly extended. Lip adnate to base of column, free part broadly ovate, 0.2 by 0.4 cm, slightly 3-lobed, obtuse, papillate in apical part on either side, 5-nerved; spur glabrous, clavate, 0.4-0.5 cm long, broadly grooved above, rounded. Column slightly curved, 0.2 by 0.15 by 0.1 cm, clinandrium crenulate-dentate. Anther, pollinia and capsule not seen. (After Van Royen, 1979).
Colours: Flower pale yellow green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 3506-3902 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-75M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in light position.
Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.