Calanthe reflexilabris J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1913) 555
Type: Gjellerup 1020 (holo BO 2x)
Pseudobulbs very small, c. 5-leaved, in the basal part covered with sheaths. Leaves erect, petiolate, narrowly lanceolate, gradually very long and very sharply acuminate, glabrous, with 3 strong underneath prominent nerves and several thin ones, 23-40 by 3-4 cm; petiole channelled, 3-ribbed, with a clasping basal sheath, 10-17 cm long. Inflorescences 1-2, erect, elongated, densely many-flowered, peduncle subterete, densely minutely puberulous, 40-52 cm long, with c. 4 tubular, puberulous, upwards smaller, to 2.8 cm long, small scales; rachis densely puberulous, 3-4 cm long. Floral bracts persistent, reflexed, very small, ovate-triangular, acute, concave, with convex margins, on either side puberulous, 5-nerved, to 1.1 cm long, 0.55 cm wide. Flowers 16-20, 3 cm long. Median sepal and petals erect, lateral sepals and lip strongly reflexed. Median sepal oblong-elliptic, obtuse, shortly contracted at the base, concave, dorsally at the base densely, otherwise sparsely puberulous, inside sparsely and long puberulous, 5-nerved, 1.6 by 0.75 cm. Lateral sepals covered with the lip, obliquely elliptic, obtuse, strongly oblique at the base, somewhat concave, inside near the base and dorsally sparsely puberulous, 5-nerved, 1.5 cm long, 0.78 cm wide. Petals obliquely spathulate, 3-nerved, mid-rib dorsally grooved, 1.5 cm long, blade obliquely oblong, obtuse, 1 by 0.5 cm. Lip spurred, for 0.4 cm adnate to the column, entire; blade reflexed, clasping the lateral sepals and the spur, longitudinally conduplicate-convex, at the apex bilobed, above more or less crenulate, at the base with three longitudinal, closely spaced, laterally compressed, more or less finely warty, almost glabrous calli, median callus a little longer than the outer ones, 0.4 cm long, the outer calli sometimes at the base provided with a lobule, lip when flattened transversely subreniform-elliptic, 1.3-1.4 by 2.1-1[2?].8 cm wide; spur pointing downwards, subsigmoid or hooked-incurved [perhaps due to insect damage], terete, above dorsally compressed, obtuse, puberulous, 1.9 cm long. Column along its entire length adnate to the lip, thickened towards the apex, dorsally convex, at the apex obtuse, puberulous, above 0.38 cm., underneath 0.6 cm long; clinandrium deeply concave, inside with a longitudinal rib, stigma-lobes distinctly surpassing the apex. Anther cucullate, abbreviated-cordate, obtuse, membranous, 0.3 cm wide. Pollinia 8, obliquely clavate. Rostellum bipartite, the lobules falcate. Ovary 6-grooved, 1.1 cm long, including the pedicel twisted, 6-grooved, 0.6 cm long, densely minutely puberulous. (After Smith, 1915).
Colours: Flower yellowish green, lip in apical half spotted dark brown.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 101-289M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.