Agrostophyllum pelorioides Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 267
Type: Schlechter 18700 (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, up to 40 cm high. Rhizome very short. Roots slightly thickened, filiform, elongated, flexuose, shortly villose. Stems somewhat compressed, erect, straight, about 30 cm long, laxly leafy, entirely covered by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, linear-ligulate, apex unequally and acutely bilobulate, up to 28 cm long, near the middle 1-1.2 cm wide, overtopping the stem; leaf-sheaths at the apex on both sides produced into a very small, acute, triangular tooth. Capitulum about 2.5 cm across, many-flowered, enveloped by several sheaths which soon split up into fibres. Peduncles short, 1-flowered, covered with a few imbricating scales. Bract hyaline, very small, apiculate. Flowers erect. Median sepal broadly ovate, 0.6 cm long, apiculate, glabrous. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acuminate, glabrous, only slightly longer than the median sepal. Petals obliquely oblong, slightly acute, glabrous, a little shorter than the lateral sepals. Lip elliptic, subacute, slightly concave, glabrous, broader than the petals. Column short, thick, subquadrate, below the stigma on either side provided with a decurved, obtuse donate callosity, in front with an orbicular, thick, marginate callus. Anther obreniform, with an obtuse apiculum. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, sessile, about 0.8 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flower snowy white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-86M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, keep in light shade.