Pseuderia diversifolia J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 121
Type: Gjellerup 661 (syn BO); 760 (syn BO)
Climber, 3-4 m high. Stems stout, elongated, branched, terete, leafy, internodes to 3.5 cm long, the upper shorter. Leaves patent, oblong or lanceolate, frequently more or less ovate or elliptic, long acuminate with acute tip, at the base shortly contracted and channelled, with c. 7-9 main nerves prominent below, underneath minutely punctate, coriaceous, to 20 by 5.5 cm, strongly decreasing in size towards the apex of the stem, to 4.5 by 1.1 cm; sheaths tubular, dorsally slightly keeled, minutely furfuraceous-punctate, a little longer than the internodes. Inflorescences very numerous, perforating the leaf-sheaths at their base, sometimes in pairs, patent, fascicled-branched; peduncle short, 1 cm long, entirely covered with peduncle-scales; peduncle-scales small, tubular, tightly clasping each other, minutely furfuraceous-punctate, becoming larger towards the apex of the peduncle, the basal scales obtuse, the upper ones with a small, erect-patent, articulated, ovate, obtuse or subacute, concave, minutely punctate, 0.4-0.7 cm long blade, with the tubular part to 0.5 cm long; rachis angular, 2-2.4 cm long, 6-7-flowered. Floral bracts reflexed, ovate or oblong-ovate, acute, in the basal part convex, above angular-concave, dorsally furfuraceous-punctate, 3-nerved, to 1 by 0.4 cm, the upper ones smaller. Flowers 1.85 cm wide. Median sepal erect, almost linear, at the apex conical-thickened, acute, concave, at the base 3-nerved, 2.15 by 0.4 cm. Lateral sepals widely patent, strongly falcate-incurved, linear-lanceolate, at the base 3-nerved, 1.5 by 0.5 cm, narrowly obtuse, obtusely concave, dorsally obtusely convex and especially towards the apex keeled, with the keel extended beyond apex and laterally flattened. Petals porrect, more or less covering the column, linear, obtuse, falcate, obtuse, 3-nerved, 1.3-1.35 by 0.24 cm. Lip clasping the column, strongly curved, concave, at the apex strongly convex, entirely, but especially in the apical part, papillose, with two strong, glabrous keels extending from the base to the middle that merge at c. 1/3 above the base, lip somewhat fleshy, when flattened rhombic, at the apex frequently slightly contracted, obtuse, almost 1.1 cm long, a little below the middle 0.57 cm wide. Column making an obtuse angle with the ovary, slender, strongly curved, at the apex contracted, dorsally convex, 0.8 cm long; clinandrium small, concave, subtruncate, ovate, finely laciniate-dentate; rostellum short, truncate; stigma quadrangular; column-foot very short, making an obtuse angle with the ovary, truncate, 0.08 cm long. Anther cucullate, cordate, 0.2 cm long, in lateral view triangular in outline; connective strongly keeled-thickened, dorsally somewhat curved, at the apex produced into a rather large, porrect, laterally flattened, triangular, subacute appendage; pollinia 2, parallel, obliquely oblong, 0.13 cm long, above except at the base bifid by a longitudinal groove, below with a longitudinal median groove. Ovary pedicellate, curved, 6-grooved, 1.3 cm long. Fruit carrying the withered flower, elongated, sharply triangular with a rib on the faces, when immature 5.7 cm long, 0.65 cm diam.; pedicel thin, 0.4 cm long. (After Smith, 1915)
Colours: Leaves dark green, the young ones tinged violet. Flower yellow (type), white or pale pink with (brownish) violet dots.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 25 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 586-2M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial.