Glossorhyncha fluviatilis P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 558, fig. 193
Type: Balgooy, van 724 (holo L)
Erect, slender, c. 35 cm high, terrestrial herb, branched mainly in apical parts with short up to 5 cm long flowering branches. Stems glabrous, terete but slightly flexuose in apical part only. Leaves patent to spreading, coriaceous, glabrous, elliptic-ovate, 0.5-0.8 by 0.2-0.4 cm, flat or slightly V-shaped shaped in cross section, obliquely and sometimes unequally 2-tipped, base narrowed, mid-rib grooved above, prominent on either side but less so above than below; sheaths tubular, 0.3-0.7 cm long, in lower parts of stem up to 2 cm long, slightly obliquely truncate at tip and with straight or flexuose, 0.1-0.2 cm long, scattered warty bristles, many-ribbed, densely papillate-warty mainly along the ribs. Peduncle 0.1 cm long, glabrous. Spathe cylindrical, 0.8-1 by 0.3-0.4 cm, markedly obliquely truncate, 5-ribbed, mid-rib subcarinate and surpassing the obtuse tip, rather densely papillate-warty with elongate papillae. Floral bract similar to spathe but 1.5 by 0.4 cm, subacute, finely 5-nerved, very sparsely papillate-warty. Ovary glabrous, narrowly glabrous, narrowly clavate, 1.4 by 0.2 cm, 5-winged, but the wings on the suture twin-ribbed. Median sepal glabrous, oblong-elliptic, 1-1.2 by 0.4-0.5 cm, obtuse, 3-nerved at base, 9-nerved in higher parts, margin in apical half involute. Lateral sepals glabrous, subfalcate-oblong or oblong-elliptic, 1.2 by 0.5 cm, at base with an oblong, 0.2 by 0.1 cm large, rounded appendage, tip subulate-apiculate and cucullate, 3-nerved at base, 8-nerved in higher parts, mid-rib on outside slightly raised. [Petals not described.] Lip almost entirely adnate to column, free part broadly cordate-ovate, 0.2 by 0.3 cm, 3-lobed, subretuse, mid-lobe finely papillate along margin, ribbed above, grooved below; spur conoid, 0.15 cm long, obtuse. Column short and curved, clinandrium dentate. Anthers 1 or 2, if one this is median, if 2 then lateral with a long oblong appendage between them, each broadly ovoid-quadrangular, 0.08 by 0.1 by 0.06 cm, retuse, base 2-lobed, connective umbonate. Pollinia 2, pear-shaped, 0.1 cm long. Capsule brown, ellipsoid-ovoid, 1-1.2 by 0.5 cm. (After Van Royen, 1979).
Colours: Stems yellowish. Flowers white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 3500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-34M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in light position.
Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.