Agrostophyllum paniculatum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 2
Type: Versteeg 1128 (holo BO; iso K, L)
Plant to c. 107 cm long. Stems flattened, 1.4-5 cm wide over the leaf sheaths, widest about halfway the stem, tapering to base and apex. Leaf sheath appressed to the stem, sometimes at the apex somewhat recurved, reaching to or sometimes beyond the base of the second one above, at the upper part of the stem reaching to the base of the next one above, (2-)4.5-10 cm long; with a (2-)4.5-10 cm long incision, without tubular basal part; width of margin to midrib 0.7-2.5 cm; apical margin at the articulation not drawn out into a tooth-like projection. Leaf blade erect-patent, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, rarely linear, 6.4-23 by 1.3-4.5 cm, index 3.5-8.5(-12.1); base twisted, the upper side of all leaf blades completely turned to one side of the plant; apex acute to obtuse, gradually tapering, its tip obtuse, sometimes equally bilobed. Inflorescence 15-45 cm long, rather wide because of the spreading partial inflorescences, with 12-25 internodes of which the ones at the base of the inflorescence are up to 3 cm long; partial inflorescences (few -)10-15(-30) per bract first order. Bracts first order when young much shorter than the partial inflorescences, narrowly triangular, those at the base of the inflorescence to 5 cm long, c. 2 internodes long, folded along the midrib, papery, without dark-coloured margin, when older, slit along the midrib, partly to almost completely disintegrating into not persistent fibres. Partial inflorescences laterally emerging from the slit or from between the fibres (if these are still present) of the bract first order, tufted; each (5-)10(-20)-flowered, flowering with 1-2(-3) flowers at the time, with 7-23 bracts second order of which the lowest (2-)3 are sterile; axis 2-5 cm long. Bracts second order 0.6-0.75 cm long. Flowers widely open; mentum absent. Pedicel and ovary (0.4-)0.55-0.74 cm long. Median sepal convex, ovate, reflexed, 0.39-0.42 by 0.2-0.22 cm, index 1.8-2.0; apex acute; nerves 5-7, midrib a low rounded keel, swollen to the apex or not. Lateral sepals slightly asymmetric, free, reflexed, 0.41-0.55 by 0.2-0.26 cm, index 1.6-2.5; apex acuminate; nerves 5, midrib a low rounded keel, pronounced to the apex. Petals symmetric to slightly asymmetric, obspathulate, 0.33-0.5 by 0.12-0.26 cm, index 2.2-3.8; apex long caudate with an obtuse tip; 3-nerved. Lip 0.35-0.50 cm long. Hypochile saccate, 0.1-0.2 by 0.1-0.12 by 0.17-0.2 cm, inside with 3 low rounded keels; lateral lobes very high, in front broadly rounded, apex sometimes curved outwards; callus not overtopping the lateral lobes, not papillate, its apex not curved, distinctly bilobed with broad, rounded lobes. Epichile convex, ovate to orbicular, 0.25-0.32 by 0.29-0.35 cm, index 0.8-1.0; margin not curved upwards, irregular, hardly undulate; apex slightly acuminate, shallowly saccate; median at the base with a longitudinal groove, flanked by 2 low, longitudinal thickenings, towards the centre changing into a low, longitudinal thickening which towards the apex changes into a longitudinal groove, or whole surface smooth. Column widened from the middle to the apex, excluding the anther 0.25-0.45 by 0.12-0.18 cm; base in front with a narrow, deep, longitudinal groove, at c. 1/3 from the base with a very deep cross-groove; from rostellum to cross-groove on both sides wing-like widened; column foot absent. Anther ellipsoid, c. 0.1 by 0.15 cm. Pollinia obovoid, 0.06-0.09 by 0.02-0.03 cm. Stigma 0.12-0.15 by 0.05-0.07 cm, its lower rim a long, slender, ligulate projection of 0.07-0.12 by 0.04-0.06 cm; rostellum folded to the front, median notched. Fruit with perianth and/or column on top persistent; body (0.7-)0.8-1.2 by (0.1-)0.3-0.4 cm. Seeds fusiform, c. 0.02 cm long. (After Weijnen and De Vogel, unpublished).
Colours: Dry sheaths brown. Leaves grass-green or mid-dark-green. Flowers white, though column slightly darker, or sepals pale green, petals white, lip white, disc pale mauve, sac and column white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest in shaded positions. Altitude 200-1070 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-81M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm-intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.