Cryptostylis arachnites (Blume) Hassk., Cat. Hort. Bot. Bogor (1844) 48
Basionym: Zosterostylis arachnites
A terrestrial herb 20-60 cm tall, with several thick hairy roots at the base. Leaves erect, arising from the rhizome, ovate, acute, up to 17 by 7.5 cm; petiole slender, 5-15 cm long. Inflorescence arising from the rhizome, 10-30 cm long, 8- to 12-flowered; peduncle covered with several overlapping scales. Median sepal lanceolate, acute, 1.4-1.6 by 0.28 cm, with edges inrolled. Lateral sepals lanceolate, acute, 1.4-1.6 by 0.28 cm. Petals lanceolate, acute, 0.8-1 by 0.17 cm. Lip ovate, acute, 1.5-2.0 by 0.5-0.7 cm at base, with a pubescent upper surface. Column short, 0.1-0.15 cm long. (After Lewis and Cribb, 1991).
Colours: Leaves pale green with a more or less distinct network of darker veins and mottled dark green; petiole mottled with purple. Flowers pale green or dull red-flushed, with a purple or orange-red lip which is spotted purple-red and a yellow-green column.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 600-1067 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, June, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, ?Sulawesi, ?Lesser Sunda Islands, ?Moluccas, New Guinea, The Philippines), Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Solomon Is., Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 192-5M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.