Liparis imperatifolia Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 187
Type: Schlechter 20044 (syn B, lost); 20336 (syn B, lost; iso BO, L 2x, S)
Terrestrial, erect, up to 60 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, finely villose. Stems short, somewhat carnose, 2-4.5 cm long, 3-4-leaved from base to apex, terete. Leaves erect-patent, linear, acute, a little narrowed above the base, glabrous, veined, 35-60 cm long, near the middle 0.8-1.2 cm wide. Inflorescence slender, erect, usually shorter than the leaves, usually without peduncle scales, subterete, glabrous; rachis erect, laxly 6-15-flowered, up to 15 cm long. Floral bracts erect-patent, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, less than half as long as the pedicellate, ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals reflexed, lanceolate-ligulate, obtuse, glabrous, 1.3 cm long, outside thickened along the mid-vein. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely linear, acute, glabrous, as long as the sepals. Lip 1.3 cm long, at the middle almost 0.9 cm wide, at the base somewhat narrowed and indistinctly auriculate, oblong, apiculate, glabrous, at the base with a short rounded callus, with a slight basal groove through the middle, margins denticulate-serrate. Column only slightly curved, with winged margins, at the base dilated, c. 0.8 cm long, glabrous. Anther ovate-cucullate, narrowed in front, obtuse, glabrous Ovary with pedicel very slender, cylindrical, glabrous, c. 2.8 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers olive-green, lip darker so.
Habitat: Terrestrial in hill and lower montane forest; 600 to 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 416-215M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm to intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.