Vanilla kaniensis Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 31
Type: Schlechter 17634 (holo B, lost; iso L)
Twining, tall climber; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem terete, branching, glabrous, somewhat fleshy, 0.8 cm diam., leafy. Leaves narrowly elliptic, acuminate, glabrous, fleshy, 7-8 cm apart, 20-25 by 4.7-7 cm, petiole fleshy, 1.5 cm long. Inflorescence pendent, rather densely 12-17-flowered; peduncle 3 cm long. Floral bracts pendent, oblong, obtuse, somewhat concave, small. Flowers patent. Sepals oblong, obtuse, glabrous, 3.3 by 0.8 cm. Lateral sepals somewhat oblique. Petals similar to the sepals, oblique, almost as long as the sepals, but a little narrower, apiculate, outside with thickened mid-vein, somewhat narrowed towards the base. Lip broadly cuneate-flabellate, with undulate margins, indistinctly 3-lobed, 2.5 by 2.5 cm, apex emarginate, in basal half along the margins adnate to the column, in the middle concave and with a conspicuous, scaly, lacerate-cristate band, at the apex with closely spaced subulate papillae. Column semiterete, glabrous, at the base of the clinandrium on either side with a tooth, 2 cm long. Anther almost square, cucullate, glabrous, dorsally with a minute umbo. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, 4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals and petals greenish yellow, lip white with pinkish red veins.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 719-28M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.