Neuwiedia veratrifolia Blume, Tijdschr. Natuurl. Gesch. Physiol. 1 (1834) 142
Type: Blume s.n. (lecto L; isolecto L)
Erect herb, 70-120 cm high. Roots 1-5 mm diam., sometimes woolly. Leaves lanceolate to linear, acuminate, 7-78 by 0.7-6.7 cm, 7-51-nerved, 5-7 of which are more prominent; upper leaves glabrous or with hairs along the margin and scattered over the blade; hairs eglandular, narrowly triangular when dry, of different length, the longest 0.14-0.17(-0.2) by 0.035-0.06 mm. Racemes 25-52 cm, surpassing the leaves in length, 48-80-flowered, rather strongly hairy like the upper leaves. Bracts (ovate-oblong-)linear, acute, 0.8-7 by 0.1-1 cm, 5-9-nerved, less hairy than the rachis. Flowers 2.4-3.5 cm long, fragrant. Sepals outside hairy. Median sepal lanceolate, 1.2-2 by 0.25-0.4 cm, 5-7-nerved, cusp. 0.6-1.3 by 0.2 mm. Lateral sepals obovate-lanceolate(-linear), 1.2-2 by 0.25-0.4 cm, 5-7-nerved, cusp 0.6-1.5 by 0.2 mm. Petals and lip hairy on the keel. Petals obovate-lanceolate, 1.2-2 by 0.45-0.65 cm, 7-nerved, cusp 0.2(-0.8) by 0.2 mm. Lip obovate-oblong to obovate-lanceolate, longitudinal median thickened (when fresh), 1-1.8 by 0.5-0.7 cm, 7-nerved, cusp. 0.2-0.5 by 0.2 mm. Column 0.5-0.7 by c. 0.1 cm. Free part of the filaments flattened, lateral ones 2-4.3 by 0.2-0.5 mm, median one 3.5-5.3 by 0.2-0.5 mm. Free part of the style 5-6(-7.5) by 0.3-0.7 mm, overtopped by the median anther by 0.5-2 mm; stigma enlarged, rounded to obscurely 3-lobed, 0.7-1 by 0.7-1 mm. Anthers linear; lateral ones 6-8 by 0.9-1.2 mm, basally the long loculus c. 0.5 mm longer; median one 5.2-5.8(-7.5) by 0.8-1.2 mm. Pedicels 0.3-0.7 by c. 0.1 cm. Ovary long-ellipsoid, 0.8-1.3 by 0.25-0.37(-0.5) cm. Fruit a thin-walled capsule, loculicidally opening with 3 valves from the top downwards, leaving a cage of 3 ribs, about triangular in cross-section, on the sides with a longitudinal groove, on the edges with a distinct rib, 1-1.4 by 0.6-1 cm, with a beak: 1-2 by 0.7-1. 1 mm. Seeds rounds to ellipsoid, with a long, hair-like funicle up to 0.6-0.7 mm, apically with a long hair-like appendage, up to 0.6-0.7 mm. (After de Vogel, 1969)
Colours: Flowers yellow, sometimes with green nerves.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest, sometimes on ultrabasic soil, rarely on rotting logs; 20-1600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, November.
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea, Philippines, Aru Is., Louisiades), Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 480-18M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.