Rhomboda atrorubens (Schltr.) Ormerod, Orchadian 11 (1995) 334
Basionym: Zeuxine atrorubens
Terrestrial, erect, slender, 19-25 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, stem-like; roots elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem 3- to 5-leaved, terete, glabrous. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate; blade obliquely ovate-lanceolate, acute, minutely apiculate, 3-5 by 1.4-2.3 cm; petiole dilated at the base sheathing, 1-2 cm long. Inflorescence laxly 4- to 8-flowered, erect; peduncle with a few, distant, bract-like scales, sparsely glandulose-puberulous; rachis up to 7 cm long. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, with ciliate margins, about half as long as the ovary. Flowers erect-patent, glabrous. Median sepal broadly ovate, acuminate, 0.4 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acuminate, a little longer than the median sepal. Petals semiovate-falcate, shortly acuminate, along the outer margin near the middle distinctly dilated, about as long as the median sepal and adhering to it along their inner margin. Lip in outline ovoid-cucullate, as long as the petals, when flattened almost square, near the apex abruptly contracted and then broadened into a very small, broadly elliptic, apiculate lobe, lip inside at the base with two small obovate, almost stalked glands, the mid-vein somewhat swollen, above the middle on either side with a very small, low lamella. Column suborbicular, glabrous; rostellum very small bifid-bicuspidate, in front with two large lamellae. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 0.8 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Leaves dark purple-brown above, cherry-red below. Sepals brown-red, petals and lip transparent salmon-pink, terminal lobe of the lip white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 9 to 1410 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, July, September, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 606-5M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.