Habenaria cruciata J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 25
Type: Versteeg 1535 (holo BO?; iso L)
Stem short. Leaves 7-10, close to the ground, lanceolate, acutely acuminate, at the base petiolate-narrowed, minutely undulate, midrib keeled below, reticulate-venose, 12-27 cm long, 2.7-4.3 cm wide; sheaths tubular, at least near the base, glabrous, 2-3 cm long. Inflorescence erect, elongated, laxly many-flowered, peduncle 38-60 cm long, hirsute-pubescent especially in upper part; sheaths several, foliaceous, sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, minutely ciliolate, with prominent hirsute-pubescent nerves, covered with peduncle-scales that decrease in size upwards, rachis 22-35 cm long, hirsute-pubescent; bracts clasping the ovary at the base, orbicular-ovate in basal part, acutely acuminate, with 3 nerves and sometimes also the larger veins dorsally keeled and ciliate, 1.5-2.2 cm long. Flowers medium-sized, 0.65 cm wide, including the spur 3 cm long. Median sepal erect, forming a helmet-like structure with the petals, ovate, 0.85 cm, long 0.6 cm wide, obtuse, cucullate-concave, almost entire, slightly denticulate, with three dorsally strongly winged-keeled, pubescent-ciliate nerves. Lateral sepals strongly reflexed, margin revolute subentire, obliquely elliptic, narrowly obtuse, nerves 3 dorsally strongly winged-keeled pubescent-ciliate, 0.8 cm long, 0.5 cm wide. Petals adhering to the median sepal, basal part obliquely ovate, 0.9 cm long, at the base 0.34 cm wide, lanceolate-narrowed, falcate, obtuse, convex, shortly ciliolate, 3-nerved, mid-vein outside prominent, glabrous. Lip at the base shortly adnate to the column, basal part entire, concave, margins strongly recurved, 3-lobed, spurred; spur at the base parallel to the narrow part of the ovary, decurved above the base, elongated, club-shaped, 2.3 cm long, at the base terete, above the base laterally compressed and ciliate; blade of the lip when flattened cruciform, 1.17 cm long, 1.2 cm wide, lateral lobes deflexed, sublinear, subacute, convex, 0.55 cm long, 0.14 cm wide, mid-lobe recurved above the base, linear, subacute, margins strongly recurved, tubular, longer than the lateral lobes, 0.75 cm long, 0.16 cm wide. Column in total 0.46 cm long, staminodes broad, porrect, rounded, verrucose, equalling the stigmatophores. Anther cucullate, locules distant, antherchannels elongated, porrect, divergent. Rostellum with a short mid-lobe, broad, obtusely angular; stigmatophores short, thickened at the apex, obtuse, much shorter than the antherchannels. Ovary patent, apex rostrate, incurved, triangular, 6-ribbed, on the ribs hirsute-pubescent, with 2.55 cm long, including the 0.75 cm long beak-like apex; pedicel twisted, subglabrous; 0.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Flower green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland and hill forest. Altitude 0-1006 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June, July, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 347-123M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm-intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.