Agrostophyllum kaniense Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 273
Type: Schlechter 17134 (B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K); 18995 (B, lost)
Epiphytic, robust, erect or patent, 40-60 cm long. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, villose, somewhat thickened. Stems robust, somewhat compressed, densely leafy, entirely covered by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, unequally, bilobulate, distinctly narrowed at the base, glabrous, 16-20 cm long, near the middle 3-5 cm wide; leaf-sheaths rounded at the apex, without teeth. Capitulum subglobose, many-flowered, up to 5.5 cm across, at first enveloped by several sheaths. Peduncles short, covered with imbricating scales, 2-3-flowered. Bracts very small, hyaline, apiculate. Flowers erect or erect-patent. Median sepal ovate, shortly acuminate, glabrous, 4.5 mm long. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, 5 mm long, somewhat decurrent at the base. Petals in basal part ovate-lanceolate, narrowed-acuminate, narrowly obtuse, oblique, glabrous, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base subglobose-saccate, subtrilobed; lateral lobes erect, very short, broadly obtuse; mid-lobe large, reniform, obtuse, glabrous, 0.3 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, the sac almost 0.2 cm across. Column straight, lip about half as long as the lip, dilated towards the apex, below the stigma on both sides adorned with a short, obtuse, porrect arm-like projection, in basal half in front slightly swollen. Anther subreniform-cucullate, minutely apiculate, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, sessile, about 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flower white, lip with two light rose stripes. Column with red spots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-52M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm-intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in light shade.
Note: In habit rather similar to Agrostophyllum papuanum Schltr., but differs from that species in that the column has distinct arm-like projections.