Vrydagzynea elongata Blume, Fl. Javae, n.s., 1 (1858) 61, pl. 28 f. 1; Coll. Orchid. (1858) 71. tt.
Type: Guillou, le 42 (New Guinea N. coast, Triton Bay) (holo L)
Erect, glabrous, 13-15 cm high; roots rather thick, finely villose. Stem at the base creeping, the upper part erect, terete, glabrous, leafy. Leaves patent or erect-patent, lanceolate-elliptic, acute or subacute, narrowed at the base into a petiole; blade 2.7-4 cm long, near the middle 1.2-1.7 cm wide; petiole at the base strongly dilated, cucullate-clasping the stem. Inflorescence densely many-flowered, rachis 1.7-3 cm long. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, the lower ones surpassing the ovary, the upper ones shorter. Flowers suberect. Median sepal at the base ovate, oblong, apex cucullate-concave, glabrous on both sides, 0.3 cm long. Later sepals obliquely oblong-ligulate, obtuse, as long as the median sepal but a little narrower. Petals obliquely rhomboid-obovate, subtruncate-obtuse, a little longer than the median sepal and cohering to it along their interior margins. Lip in outline ovate, obtuse, with the apical margins thickened and incurved, inside minutely papillose-puberulous, blade c. 0.2 cm long; spur in front somewhat flattened, inflated, apex subretuse. Column very short, rostellum with emarginate apex. Pollinia pear-shaped; stipe slender, longer than the pollinia; viscidium transversely subrhombic, short. (After Schlechter, 1905, as Vrydagzynea pachyceras Schltr.)
Colours: Flower pale green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest, on moist spots and on river banks; 0 to 500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (Moluccas, New Guinea), Australia.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 725-19M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.