Cystorchis dentifera Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 66
Type: Schlechter 17358 (holo B,lost; iso BO, L 2x, NSW)
Terrestrial, erect, 20-30 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, stem-like. Roots elongated, flexuose, villose. Stem leafy. Leaves 4-6, rosulate-approximate, erect-patent, petiolate, blade ovate or broadly oblong, obtuse or narrowly obtuse, 3.5-6.5 cm long, at or below the middle 2-4 cm broad, petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 1-2 cm long. Inflorescence densely 6-12-flowered, glandulose-puberulous, peduncle with 2-3 distant, acuminate, clasping scales, rachis up to 3.5 cm long. Bracts erect-patent, lanceolate, acuminate, puberulous, usually almost twice as long as the ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals outside glandulose-puberulous, 0.6 cm long. Median sepal lanceolate-oblong, obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, obtuse, at the base with the anterior margin dilated into a suborbicular, concave lobe. Petals about as long as and adhering to the median sepal, narrowly oblong-ligulate, obtuse, falcate, towards the apex with the posterior margin semirhombic dilated, in upper half on both sides and along the margin covered with very small papillae. Lip almost as long as the sepals, at the base globose, with two bladders, contracted, 3-lobed, lateral lobes minute, linear-dentiform, acute, mid-lobe with incurved margins, ligulate-cucullate, outside above papillose, in front terminating in an obtuse, concave lobule which resembles an apiculus, bladders on underside oblongoid, glabrous, inside provided with a rounded callus, spur very small, cylindrical, obtuse, glabrous, almost half as long as the bladders. Column short, margins of stigma hyaline, somewhat incurved, rostellum short, notched. Anther suborbicular, cucullate, cuspidate, at the base subcordate, adorned with a transversely semilunate umbo. Pollinia obliquely clavate, stipe bipartite, oblanceolate, viscidium oblong, very small. Ovary cylindrical, glandulose-puberulous, about 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Leaves dark purple-brown. Flowers white, sepals brownish in the centre, lip with yellow apex.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 209-5M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires humus-rich compost and shaded position.