Spathoglottis kenejiae Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 395
Type: Schlechter 18290 (holo B, lost)
Terrestrial, erect, 65-75 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Pseudobulbs very small, conical, 2-4-leaved. Leaves erect or suberect, at anthesis to 70 cm long, elliptic-lanceolate, long acuminate, glabrous, near the middle to 4 cm wide, at the base gradually narrowed into a rather long, grooved petiole. Inflorescence straight or nearly so, 65-75 cm tall, terete, at the base almost glabrous, gradually becoming somewhat tomentose towards the apex, with a few distant, small, obtuse peduncle scales; rachis densely many-flowered, rather short. Floral bracts patent, broadly elliptic, obtuse, finely tomentose, a third or fourth as long as the ovary. Flowers erect-patent or suberect. Sepals oblong-elliptic, obtuse, outside very minutely sparsely tomentose, inside glabrous, 1.7 cm long; lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals obliquely elliptic, obtuse, glabrous, as long as the sepals but broader. Lip at the base 3-lobed, 1.3 cm long, when flattened between the tips of the lateral lobes 1.3 cm wide; lateral lobes falcate-ligulate, obtuse, glabrous, 0.8 cm long; mid-lobe with a linear claw, at the base on either side with a minute, obtuse, triangular, sparsely finely pilose lobule, front part reniform, shallowly notched, 0.3 cm long, 0.7 cm wide, at the base with 3 indistinct keels; callus situated at the very base of the mid-lobe in front of the lateral lobes, deeply bilobed, obtuse, lobes triangular-globose, above sparsely pilose. Column slender, semiterete, somewhat dilated towards the apex, glabrous, 1.1 cm long. Anther subreniform-cucullate, obtuse, indistinctly umbonate, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, somewhat tomentose, c. 2.2 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers light rose-red; lip with light brownish lateral lobes, yellow centre and rose-red mid-lobe.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland grassland; 5 to 200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, May, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 652-29M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires light position.
Note: May be recognised by the keels on the mid-lobe of the lip.