Aglossorhyncha biflora J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 1
Type: Römer, von 1219 (syn BO); 1290 (syn BO)
Stem rigid, branched, laterally compressed, in cross section elliptic, internodes up to 2 cm long, 0.38-0.45 cm wide. Leaves distichous, oblong, at the base cuneate-narrowed, mid-rib grooved above, thinly prominent below (when dried), above on either side of the mid-rib convex, rigidly coriaceous, 1.5-4.8 cm long, 0.65-1.25 cm wide, apex very broadly bilobed, lobes broadly rounded, almost equal, not mucronate; sheaths tubular, compressed, somewhat finely longitudinally ribbed, transversely rugose, surpassing the internodes, 0.5-0.55 cm wide. Inflorescence terminal, 2-flowered. Floral bracts rather large, cymbiform, ovate, broadly obtuse, inside and outside squamulose-punctate, 1.1 cm long. Flowers recurved, medium-sized. Median sepal lanceolate, conical-acuminate, at the base 3-nerved, 1.5-2 cm long, 0.4-0.6 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, conical-acuminate, concave, obtusely carinate, dorsally sparsely squamulose-punctate, at the base 3-nerved, 1.25-1.83 cm long, 0.43-0.6 cm wide. Petals subobliquely lanceolate, shortly acuminate, at the base 3-nerved, 1.48-2 cm long, 0.37-0.6 cm wide. Lip sessile, clasping the column, strongly concave, entire, when flattened ovate, conical-acuminate, 1.15-1.5 cm long, 0.75-0.9 cm wide, 9-nerved, veins inside especially towards the apex prominent, fleshy, margins in the basal part appressed to the column, in upper part strongly incurved and thickened. Column near the base obtusely incurved, otherwise straight, club-shaped, 0.9-1.13 cm long, on either side of the stigma with an obtuse, dentate lobule, clinandrium large, deeply bilobed-winged, dentate-lacerate, with small, glanduliform auricles (staminodes) between the apical and lateral lobules. Anther cucullate, quadrangular, 0.17 cm long, apex broadly retuse, connective conical-thickened. Pollinia 4, united into two bodies, obovate, outside convex, inside flat. Rostellum large, subtruncate. Stigma angular, lower margin raised-recurved. Ovary rather thick, 3-grooved, squamulose, 0.6 cm long; pedicel recurved, thinner, 0.2 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Flower green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest. Altitude 1900-2800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May, June, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (Moluccas, New Guinea), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 23-2M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.
Note: The most common species of Aglossorhyncha, easily recognised by the obtuse, clearly bilobed leaf-tips.