Moerenhoutia constricta (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 56 (1921) 450
Basionym: Goodyera constricta
Stem creeping at the base, rooting, erect, terete, 7-9 cm high, 0.45 cm diam., c. 5-6-leaved. Leaves petiolate, obliquely ovate or ovate-elliptic, reticulate-veined, 4-7 by 2.5-4 cm, acuminate, acute, mid-rib grooved above, underneath prominent and obtuse; petiole channelled, including the short sheath 1.5-3.3 cm long. Inflorescence laxly many-flowered; rachis 7.5 cm long, pubescent. Floral bracts appressed, lanceolate-triangular, acute, concave, glabrous, to 0.9 cm long. Flowers 1.3 cm wide, 0.83 cm long. Median sepal erect, oblong, obtuse, concave, glabrous, 3-nerved, 0.75 by 0.28 cm. Lateral sepals widely patent, slightly curved upwards, obliquely oblong, obtuse, concave, glabrous, 0.83 by 0.35 cm. Petals cohering with the median sepal, narrowly obliquely spathulate, 1-nerved, 0.8 by 0.23 cm; claw narrowly linear, 0.4 cm long; blade obliquely rhombic with the apex slightly obtusely bidentate. Lip in the basal part with the margins appressed to the column, in outline oblong, ventricose-concave, when not flattened 0.66 by 0.33 cm, when flattened 0.75 by 0.53 cm, underneath with a longitudinal groove, at 1/3 above the base on either side strongly constricted by an inward fold, in basal half inside with two strong, towards the apex thickened keels, at the base on either side with a fascicle of spine-like hairs, at the apex contracted into a recurved, rounded, convex, papillose blade with incurved apical margins; hypochile suborbicular, epichile much narrower suborbicular 0.15 by 0.2 cm. Column 0.6 cm long; clinandrium narrowly oblong, deeply concave; on either side of the stigma with a broad, obtuse, outside convex, inside concave, carnose auricle of which the lower margins terminate towards the base of the column in a stout, wing-like, fleshy rib, the surrounding an oblong concavity; rostellum strongly produced, triangular, bidentate, concave, somewhat fleshy; stigma concave. Anther oblong, at the base retuse, very long rostrate-acuminate, 0.43 cm long. Pollinia 2, clavate; caudicles elongated; viscidium oblong, pollinarium in total 0.45 cm long. Ovary twisted, glabrous, 0.75 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Stem dull green. Leaves satiny dull green. Rachis dull brown. Median sepal greenish, at the apex brown. Lateral sepal whitish, with longitudinal brown stripes. Petals brown with paler margins. Lip in the basal part (i.e. below the constriction) yellowish, yellow in the upper part, apical lobe white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest, sometimes in the spray zone of waterfalls; 500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 455-2M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.