Tropidia similis Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 93
Type: Schlechter 14426 (holo B, lost; iso BR, P)
Erect, shrubby, up to 100 cm high, several-stemmed. Rhizome very short. Stems usually unbranched, apart from the basal part many-leaved up to the apex, entirely covered with very tightly clasping leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, elliptic-lanceolate, up to 25 by 3.2 cm, at the apex subcaudate-narrowed, with the apex itself subobtuse, glabrous on both sides, underneath with 5 prominent veins. Inflorescence subsessile or very shortly pedunculate, lateral (sometimes terminal), very short, few-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, apiculate, 2-ranked, overlapping, veined, glabrous, shorter than the flowers. Flowers outside with black scale-hairs. Sepals lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 1.3 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, subfalcate. Petals lanceolate-ligulate, almost as long as the sepals, acute, falcate, mid-vein thickened outside and covered with black scale-hairs, petals otherwise glabrous. Lip at the base ovate-cucullate, above ovate-lanceolate, as long as the petals, near the base and above the middle 0.3 cm wide, with recurved, acute apex, glabrous, inside in the middle near the margins on either side with a lanceolate, ring-shaped swelling. Column about terete, c. 0.6 cm long, glabrous, above the middle on either side weakly keeled-dilated; rostellum very small. Anther ovate-lanceolate, rostrate, apex shallowly notched. Ovary with black hairs, c. 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers yellowish white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 900 to 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 707-39M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.