Calanthe cruciata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 389
Type: Schlechter 17120 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, G, L, NSW, S)
Terrestrial, erect, up to 90 cm high; rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous; leaves 7, erect-patent or suberect, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, towards the base gradually petiolate-narrowed, glabrous, up to 90 cm long, near the middle up to 5 cm wide; Inflorescence erect, nearly straight, terete, glabrous, with a few acuminate, clasping scales, 56 cm high, rachis densely many-flowered, elliptic, 10 cm long; bracts soon caducous. Flowers patent, slender pedicellate. Sepals elliptic, apiculate, glabrous, 1.2 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely elliptic, apiculate, somewhat shorter and wider than the sepals. Lip cruciate-3-lobed, 0.7 cm long, between the apices of the lateral lobes 0.7 cm wide, lateral lobes patent, basal, obliquely oblong, obtuse, mid-lobe twice as large, oblong, apiculate, glabrous, spur subfiliform-cylindrical, obtuse, apex slightly dilated, curved, 2 cm long, mouth of the spur somewhat dilated. Column towards the apex somewhat dilated, glabrous, auricles hardly developed, apiculate in the middle, clinandrium semiorbicular, concave. Anther ovate-cucullate, obtusely apiculate, glabrous, dorsally with a reniform, apiculate callus; pollinia obliquely clavate, about equal-sized, viscidium large, elliptic. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 740-1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-88M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.