Coelogyne beccarii Rchb.f., Bot. Centralbl. 28 (1886) 344
Type: Beccari 10329 (New Guinea, Mt. Arfak) (holo FI)
Roots 0.18-0.3 cm diam. Rhizome 0.7-1.22 cm thick. Scale-covered part of the inflorescence bearing young shoot 7.5-14.3 cm long. Pseudobulbs up to 0.9 cm apart, oblongoid, obtusely 4-angled when fresh, 4.8-8.5 cm long. Leaves two per pseudobulb. Petiole 2.3-8.5 cm long. Blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 22-35.4 by 1.9-6 cm; apex acuminate main nerves 3-5. Inflorescence synanthous with the partially to entirely developed leaves, 2-7(-13)-flowered. Peduncle during flowering at the base enclosed by the petiole and scales of the young shoot, 18.5-44 cm long. Rachis (sub)erect, zigzag, 1.9-7 cm long; internodes 1.55-2.8 cm long, slightly to distinctly curved, incrassate. Floral bracts lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4.0-5.4 by 1.05-1.8 cm, deciduous; apex acuminate; nerves 11-13. Flowers opening in succession, not fragrant. Pedicel 0.5-0.8 by 0.25-0.27 cm; ovary 1-2 by 0.4-0.7 cm. Median sepal ovate, 3.45-4.4 by 1.8-2.2 cm; apex acute; nerves 9-13, the midrib a rounded keel 0.05-0.1 cm high. Lateral sepals ovate, 3.4-4.4 by 1.4-1.9 cm; apex acuminate; nerves 9-12, the midrib a rounded keel 0.03-0.1 cm high. Petals slightly recurved 3.2-4.3 by 0.36-0.55 cm; apex acuminate; nerves 5, midrib centric. Lip 2.9-4.1 by 2.6-2.8 cm, nerves 11-15. Hypochile when flattened 1.5-1.8 by 2.6-2.8 cm; base attached over 0.6-1.9 cm, not saccate; lateral lobes in front rounded to obtuse, extending 0.28-0.35 cm in front and slightly converging, front margin at the base irregularly erose; with acute sinus; apex not saccate; keels 3-7, widened along the crest, more or (rarely) less fused together into a thick callus 0.19-0.31 cm high, with papillae but without hairs, all keels starting at the base of the lip and there 0.05-0.09 cm high, developed on the hypochile and the apical half of the epichile, the median keel lower than the lateral ones. Epichile highly convex, when flattened rhombic to orbicular, 1.5-2.2 by 1.5-1.9 cm, with a broad, short claw 0.2-0.29 cm thick; base attached over 1.25-1.4 cm; apex acute, slightly raised, with an acute apex with warts 0.04-0.075 cm high; margin slightly erose, recurved; sides pronounced as lateral lobes, with warts 0.05-0.1 cm high, centre 0.048-0.05 cm thick, margin 0.02-0.03 cm thick; keels 5-7, ending 0.4-0.8 cm from the apex of the epichile, on the claw identical with the keels on the hypochile, on the blade changing into a row of tightly packed irregularly rounded warts, with papillae but without hairs. Column 1.9-2.3 by 0.7-0.8 cm; hood with more or less acute apical margin, laterally notched or with two small cuneate projections where the wings are attached and with an additional notch above, the middle part rounded, recurved. Anther broadly bell-shaped in outline, 0.3-0.5 by 0.49-0.5 cm, near the place of attachment with a little rounded projecting apex; apex with or without notch. Pollinia obliquely ellipsoid, 0.21-0.3 by 0.12-0.19 cm; caudicle 0.13-0.15 by 0.08-0.11 cm. Stigma 0.39-0.4 by 0.46-0.6 cm; margin apex notched; rostellum 0.3-0.4 by 0.55-0.67 cm with an obtuse apex with or without notch. Fruit body 5.8-6.5 by 2.4-3.6 cm; valvae keels 0.85-0.9 cm high; juga with a pronounced longitudinal ridge 0.5-0.55 cm high without incisions. (After Gravendeel & De Vogel, 1999).
Colours: Ovary light green. Sepals and petals pale green to yellowish white. Lip white, lateral lobes, margin of the claw of the midlobe and base of the midlobe blackish brown, base of hypochile red brown, callus create coloured to light brown to reddish orange to purplish brown, bordered with brownish red. Column white, base blackish brown to brownish red. Anther cream coloured to pale ochre. Stigma inside light green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest in shaded positions. Altitude 0-1400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, September, October, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 163-26M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.