Malaxis vinosa (Schltr.) W.Kittr., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 30 (1984, publ. 1985) 97
Basionym: Microstylis vinosa
Small erect herb, 20-30 cm tall. Stem suberect, short, cylindrical, 4-6 cm long, densely 5-7-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate; blade obliquely narrowly elliptic, 4.5-8 by 2-3 cm, acute or acuminate, base cuneate, margins slightly undulate; petiole with dilated, sheathing base, 1.8-2.3 cm long. Inflorescence erect or suberect, 4-5 times exceeding the leaves, to 25 cm long; rachis densely many-flowered, elongated, to 18 cm long. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, deflexed, exceeding the flowers. Sepals broadly oblong, 0.25 cm long, obtuse, the lateral sepals oblique. Petals narrowly and obliquely ligulate, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base very deeply sagittate; blade in outline quadrangular, above the middle 3-lobed, lateral lobes coarsely 4-dentate, the teeth lanceolate-linear, acute, falcate, the inner ones a little larger than the outer ones; mid-lobe elliptic, at the apex shortly bifid, a little shorter than the inner teeth of the lateral lobes; basal pit oblong, on either side towards the base thickened-marginate; basal auricles subparallel, obliquely lanceolate, subobtuse, almost as long as the blade. Column rather thick. Ovary and pedicel glabrous, 6-ribbed, almost 0.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1922)
Colours: Flowers.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 431-461M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.