Nervilia imperatetorum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 38
Type: Schlechter 18336 (syn B, lost); 19601 (syn B, lost)
Terrestrial, very small, 5-10 cm high. Tuber subglobose. Inflorescence terete, glabrous, with 2-3 small basal sheaths, in the middle with a long-clasping acute sheath, 1-flowered. Floral bracts erect, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, a little longer than the pedicel and ovary. Flowers pendent. Sepals patent, lanceolate-ligulate, acute, glabrous, 1.3 cm long. Later sepals somewhat oblique. Petals patent, very similar to the sepals and almost as large, oblique. Lip at the base oblong, in the middle 3-lobed, glabrous, smooth above, 1.2 cm long, between the apices of the lateral lobes 0.8 cm wide; lateral lobes obliquely oblong-triangular, obtuse, mid-lobe much larger, at the base narrow, above elliptic, obtuse, 0.6 cm long, below the middle 0.4 cm wide. Column slender, semiterete, in front puberulous, 0.65 cm long, clinandrium very small. Anther broadly cordate-ovate, obtuse, above umbonate. Ovary clavate, 6-ribbed, glabrous, including the pedicel 0.4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals and petals whitish with short brownish violet stripes. Mid-lobe of the lip red with a white centre.
Habitat: Terrestrial in Imperata grassland; 150 to 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 479-41M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires light position.