Calanthe inflata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 390
Type: Schlechter 19071 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO 2x, G, K, L, MO, NSW, S)
Terrestrial, erect, up to 50 cm high; rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous; leaves suberect or erect-patent, lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, at the base cuneate, gradually narrowed into the petiole which is dilated and sheathing at the base, blade up to 40 cm long, near the middle up to 6 cm wide, petiole up to 6 cm long; Inflorescence nearly straight, erect, terete, glabrous, with a few, large, acuminate, clasping scales, up to 45 cm long; rachis rather densely many-flowered, up to 14 cm long; bracts elliptic, acuminate, caducous, at first overtopping the flowers. Flowers soon becoming almost patent. Sepals elliptic, acuminate, glabrous. Median sepal 1.1 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, 1.2 cm long. Petals broadly elliptic-spathulate, apiculate, glabrous, oblique, somewhat shorter than the sepals. Lip oblong-cuneate, bilobed to above the middle, 0.7 cm long, between the apices of the lobes 0.5 cm wide, glabrous, at the base with an erect, horn-shaped callus, lobes obliquely oblong, obtuse, spur very short, sac-like-inflated, obliquely semiglobose, somewhat pointing upwards. Column towards the apex somewhat dilated, glabrous, 0.5 cm long, auricles short, clinandrium minutely lobulate. Anther reniform-cucullate, obtuse, with a large reniform umbo, glabrous; pollinia obliquely clavate, unequal-sized, in groups of four attached to the large semiorbicular viscidium. Ovary with pedicel clavate, glabrous, 1.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flower white, lip at the base with orange-red swellings.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-173M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.