Calanthe kaniensis Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 379
Type: Schlechter 17026 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, G, K, L, NSW, S)
Terrestrial, erect, 65-80 cm high; rhizome very short, roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, sparsely puberulous or glabrous; leaves 10, erect-patent, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, from the middle gradually dilated into the sheathing petiole, glabrous, up to 75 cm long, near the middle up to 1.9 cm wide; Inflorescence erect, straight, up to 80 cm high, terete, with a few closely appressed, distant scales, especially towards the apex very minutely puberulous; rachis rather densely 15-25-flowered, 15 cm long, flowers turned to all sides; bracts patent, lanceolate, acuminate, several times shorter than the ovary. Flowers patent. Sepals ovate-elliptic, apiculate, glabrous, almost 1.5 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals obliquely ligulate, narrowly obtuse, in upper half somewhat dilated, glabrous, about as long as the sepals. Lip broadly reniform, in front emarginate with a minute apiculum, 1.5 cm long, near the middle almost 2 cm wide, glabrous, spur triangular, compressed, mouth of the spur surrounded with minute warts, at the base of the lip with a 3-lobulate callus, spur uncinate-incurved, at the base cylindrical, gradually strongly inflated, apex somewhat bilobulate, when expanded nearly as long as the lip. Column short, glabrous, in front strongly dilated, 0.35 cm long. Ovary cylindrical-clavate, very minutely puberulous, 1.8 cm long including the pedicel. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower white, later yellowish, lip yellow in the centre.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-180M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.