Malaxis foliosa W.Kittr., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 30 (1984, publ. 1985) 96 (nom.nov.)
Basionym: Microstylis graciliscapa Schltr.
Terrestrial, ascending, to 20 cm high. Rhizome stem-like, terete. Stem ascending, up to 10 cm long, densely 9-12-leaved, terete, glabrous, 0.25-28 cm diam. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate, glabrous; blade obliquely oblong-ovate, subobtuse or subacute, with shortly undulate margins, 3.5-5 by 1.9-2.2 cm; petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 1.5-2.2 cm long. Inflorescence erect, slender; peduncle angular, with a few small scales, c. 7 cm long; raceme rather laxly 15- to 25-flowered, to 8 cm long. Floral bracts pendent, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, usually almost as long as the ovary. Flowers patent, not resupinate, glabrous. Sepals oblong, obtuse, nearly 0.25 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, a little broader than the median sepal. Petals obliquely linear-ligulate, obtuse, 1-nerved, almost as long as the sepals. Lip erect, in outline quadrate-reniform, at the base long-auriculate, excluding the basal auricles nearly 0.25 cm long, below the middle a little over 0.25 cm wide, above the middle 3-lobed; basal pit oblong with narrowly thickened margins, extending to the middle, in front of the pit with a narrow V-shaped thickening; lateral lobes triangular obtuse, with two falcate, acute teeth; mid-lobe broadly oblong, obtuse, deeply bifid, almost twice as long as the teeth of the lateral lobes; basal auricles triangular-oblong, obtuse, along the inner margins 0.13 cm long. Column short. Ovary sharply triangular in cross-section with low keels on the sides, glabrous, including the pedicel about 0.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1919)
Colours: Flowers apparently greenish yellow.
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.