Spathoglottis pulchra Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 147
Type: Schlechter 13700 (holo B, lost)
Rhizome short. Pseudobulbs clustered, 5-11-leaved, ovoid-conical, large, 3-10 by 1.1-4.3 cm, covered by peristent fibrous leaf-sheaths. Leaves petiolate; petiole 14-19 cm long, 1.6-3.6 cm wide when flattened; blade broadly lanceolate, 111-120 by 10.7-12.6 cm, firm, apex acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, erect, up to 200 cm long; peduncle to 120 cm long, 0.25-0.8 cm diam.; peduncle-scales 6, glabrous, tubular; rachis elongating, sometimes as long as peduncle, finely pubescent with minute hairs, many-flowered, with more than 6 flowers open at a time. Floral bracts elliptic to oblong-ovate, 2.5-3.1 by 1.2-1.6 cm, apex acuminate, glabrous or glabrescent. Ovary 5.1-8.5 cm long, minutely pubescent to glabrescent. Flowers 4.2-5.5 cm diam. Median sepal oblong, 2.3-2.7 by 1.1-1.4 cm, glabrous, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely broadly oblong-elliptic, 2.2-2.6 by c. 1.1 cm. Petals obliquely broadly elliptic-oblong, 1.5 cm wide, as long as the sepals. Lip 3-lobed, 1.6-2.1 by 1.2 cm between tips of lateral lobes when flattened; callus shallowly bilobed, erect, oblong, obtuse, 0.33-0.45 cm tall, 03.-0.4 cm wide, with a few apical hairs, lateral at base with glandular hairs; lateral lobes making an angle of 103-127 degrees with the mid-lobe, obliquely oblong-ligulate, 0.63-0.96 long, 0.41-0.55 cm wide at base, 0.21-0.3 cm wide at apex, obtuse; mid-lobe 1.16-1.5 cm long, clawed; claw 0.65-0.95 cm long, 0.8-1.6 mm wide, without knee-like swelling, on either side of the callus with a very short, rounded, sparsely hairy lobule; blade elliptic to almost obcordate, 0.3-0.78 cm wide at broadest part. Column slender, clavate, distinctly curved, 1.66-1.8 cm long, stigma a shallow depression. Anther cucullate, subcordate, slightly umbonate. Fruit subcylindrical, large, glabrescent, 5-6 by 1 cm. (After Howcroft, 1992).
Colours: Flower pale to deep pink; lateral lobes of lip dark orange to magenta, base of claw pale yellow or whitish, top of mid-lobe same colour as petals or slightly darker; callus bright yellow, sometimes white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland grassland; 400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 652-59M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires light position.