Malaxis euantha (Schltr.) W.Kittr., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 30 (1984, publ. 1985) 96
Basionym: Microstylis euantha
Terrestrial, erect, stout, c. 40 cm high. Rhizome short; roots filiform, flexuose, finely villose. Stems c. 2 cm apart, cylindrical, carnose, at the base covered with long clasping sheaths, in the upper part 3- to 4-leaved, 12-16 cm long, c. 0.6 cm diam. Leaves erect-patent, obliquely elliptic, acuminate, at the base cuneate, passing into the broad, channelled petiole; blade 10-14 cm long, near the middle 4.5-6 cm wide; petiole to 5.5 cm long. Inflorescence straight, angular; peduncle c. 17 cm long; rachis rather laxly 10- to 15-flowered, c. 10-13 cm long. Floral bracts pendent, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, about as long as the ovary and pedicel or a little shorter. Flowers not resupinate, glabrous. Sepals oblong, obtuse, 1 cm long, the lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely oblong, obtuse, somewhat narrowed towards the base, almost as long as the sepals. Lip in outline suborbicular, at the base deeply cordate-auriculate; blade excluding the basal auricles 0.8 cm long, below the middle 0.9 cm wide, in the middle densely finely punctate, in apical half on either side with 7-8 falcate-triangular, acute marginal teeth, at the apex with a shortly incised semi-oblong lobule that only slightly surpasses the lateral teeth, basal pit narrowly oblong, extending to the middle; basal auricles obliquely triangular, obtuse, 0.45 cm long. Column short, rather thick, glabrous. Ovary slender, ribbed, 0.9 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1919)
Colours: Flowers apparently dark purple.
Habitat: Not recorded.
Flowering time in the wild: Not recorded.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea, West Sepik Province, exact locality not recorded.
Cultivation: Terrestrial. Requirements unknown.