Calanthe truncata J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 130
Type: Gjellerup 887 (holo BO)
Rhizome creeping, ascending. Pseudobulbs to 1.5 cm apart, c. 4-leaved. Leaves erect, petiolate, narrowly lanceolate, gradually long acuminate, acute, glabrous, underneath with three prominent nerves, 25-35 by 1.6-2.1 cm; petiole channelled, including the sheath 6-9 cm long. Inflorescences axillary, erect, c. 10-flowered, peduncle puberulous, 36 cm long, with a few small, tubular, to 1.5 cm long scales; rachis 4.75 cm long, patent puberulous and furfuraceous-puberulous. Floral bracts persistent, widely patent, ovate-rhombic, subacute, margins incurved, concave, on either side appressed furfuraceous-puberulous, dorsally patent-puberulous, 5-nerved, 0.85 by 0.55 cm. Flowers widely opening, 2.1 cm wide, 2.3 cm long. Sepals dorsally patent-puberulous and sparsely appressed furfuraceous-puberulous. Median sepal elliptic, obtuse, convex, 3-nerved, 1.13 cm long, 0.68 cm wide. Lateral sepals divergent, obliquely elliptic, obtuse, minutely apiculate, along the lower margin obtusely angled, concave, 3-nerved, dorsally 1-grooved, 1.1 by 0.64 cm. Petals broadly obliquely spathulate, obtuse, sometimes minutely apiculate, convex, 3-nerved, dorsally with a longitudinal groove, slightly over 1 cm long, 0.55 cm wide. Lip for 0.46 cm adnate to the column, spurred; blade strongly dilated, 3-lobed, basal margins strongly recurved, in outline obtriangular, in the basal part with a large, triangular, basally entire and patent-puberulous, 0.5 cm long, 0.43 cm wide callus, in front dissolving into warts, blade when flattened nearly semiorbicular, base rounded, at the apex truncate, underneath with a longitudinal groove, in the basal part on either side furfuraceous-puberulous, 0.85 by 1.5 cm; lateral lobes divergent, obliquely oblong, obtuse, convex, at the base to the apex of the blade 0.95 cm long; mid-lobe a little shorter than the lateral lobes, bilobed, longitudinally channelled, on either side convex, 0.17 by 0.6 cm wide, lobules divergent, rounded-triangular; spur pointing downwards, curved, strongly clavate, sparsely appressed furfuraceous-puberulous and patent-puberulous, in the basal part thinly cylindrical, 1.25 cm long, inflated part somewhat laterally compressed, 0.6 cm long, 0.47 cm. wide. Column adnate to the lip, strongly dilated towards the apex, in outline obtriangular, in the apical part on either side umbonate, along the margins sparsely patent-puberulous, all over appressed furfuraceous-puberulous, 0.5 cm long, at the apex 0.57 cm wide, clinandrium deeply concave, auricles rounded. Anther cucullate, transverse, base truncate, above the base transversely thickened, in the middle in the apical part with a hollowed out thickening, at the apex retuse, 0.24 cm wide. Pollinia 8, clavate-pear-shaped. Rostellum slightly longer than the column, semi-orbicular, bilobed. Ovary pedicellate, sigmoid, clavate, puberulous, furfuraceous. Ovary 6-grooved, 1 cm long; pedicel thin, 0.8 cm long. (After Smith, 1915).
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest. Altitude 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 101-352M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, keep in shade.