Habenaria elongata R.Br., Prodr. (1810) 313
Type: Brown 5540 (holo K)
Terrestrial, 30-60 cm high, at the base 2-4-leaved. Leaves oblong or narrowly ovate to obovate, 5-12 by 0.6-2 cm, apex acute. Inflorescence racemose, peduncle-scales 6-10, 0.6-2.4 cm long, tapering to a fine point; rachis 4.5-16 cm long, 8-20-flowered. Floral bracts 0.5-0.7 cm long, apex tapering to a fine point. Median sepal erect, broadly oblong, 0.4-0.6 by 0.3-0.4 cm, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals deflexed, short clawed, triangular-ovate, 0.5-0.7 by 0.25-0.3 cm. Petals curved narrowly triangular to falcate, 0.5-0.7 by 0.25-0.3 cm, forming a helmet together with the median sepal; often with a small tooth in front near the base. Lip 3-lobed at c. 0.1 cm above the base, spurred; lateral lobes very narrowly linear to filiform, unequal, the right one, when seen from the front, 1.5-2.5 cm long, about twice as long as the left one; mid-lobe straight, narrowly linear, 0.5-0.8 cm long; lip often twisted at the base and at the base of the longest lateral lobe; spur initially pendulous, soon becoming strongly incurved to curled inwards, 2.5-3.5 cm long, c. 0.05 cm diam., dilated to 0.15 cm in apical third. Column 0.17 cm long, staminodes 0.05 cm long, clavate, glandular in the swollen part, stigmatophores 0.3 cm long. Anther with widely separated thecae, anther channels c. 0.1 cm long, thinner than the stigmatophores, almost erect, usually narrowed to a point at the apex. (After Dockrill, 1969).
Colours: Flower white, tips of lip and sepals yellow.
Habitat: In savanna grassland.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March.
Distribution: New Guinea, Australia.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 347-179M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires light position and a dry resting period.