Malaxis rhinoceros (J.J.Sm.) Ames, Orchidaceae 5 (1915) 68
Basionym: Microstylis rhinoceros
Stem short, c. 6-7-leaved. Leaves obliquely ovate, subfalcate, slightly acuminate, acute, undulate, with the c. 5 nerves grooved above and keeled below, above between the nerves convex, 3-6 by 1.3-2.4 cm; petiole rather long, patent, channelled, angular, 1-2.5 cm long including the short tubular sheath. Inflorescence much longer than the leaves, erect, apex nodding, laxly many-flowered, producing flowers for a long time; peduncle angular, 8-10 cm long, with patent, subulate, concave, to 0.8 cm long scales; rachis angular, more than 6 cm long. Floral bracts reflexed, subulate, sharply acute, concave, green, to 0.8 cm long. Flowers 0.55 cm wide, 0.83 cm high. Sepals and petals on both sides shiny, somewhat translucent. Median sepal ovate, subacute, concave, 3-nerved, slightly more than 0.5 cm long, 0.3 cm wide. Lateral sepals erect, short, obliquely falcate-ovate, obtuse, 3-nerved, slightly more than 0.3 cm long and wide. Petals revolute, lanceolate-linear, subacute or subobtuse, convex, 1-nerved, 0.4 by 0.08 cm. Lip horseshoe-shaped, entire, in front rounded with an obtuse apiculum, with a longitudinal convex-swollen, longitudinally single-grooved band, inside hardly shiny, outside shiny, in total 0.43 by 0.37 cm; auricles large, parallel, obliquely triangular, subacute or subobtuse, 0.2 cm long. Column at right angles to the ovary, velutinous-papillose, 0.18 cm long, at the base with a large conical horn-like outgrowth that continues the line of the ovary, apex of the horn constricted and recurved, obtuse; column-wings large, incurved, when flattened triangular, obtuse, bidentate, the lower tooth larger, obtuse, the upper tooth acute; clinandrium longitudinally ribbed. Anther broadly cordate-ovate, broadly obtuse, 0.05 cm long. Pollinia 4, in pairs, clavate, sigmoid, 0.04 cm long. Ovary pedicellate, obtusely curved, 6-ribbed, 0.45 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Leaves pale green. Peduncle and bracts green. Sepals and petals pale yellow-green. Lip ochrish with a white longitudinal band. Column dark green, at the base ochrish, tips of wings pale green. Anther dark green with lighter margins. Pollinia yellow. Ovary pale green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 80 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 431-371M.JPG.
Cultivation: Probably warm growing terrestrial.