Agrostophyllum potamophilum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 271 ("potamophila")
Type: Schlechter 18944 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, K)
Epiphytic, erect, robust, up to 60 cm long. Rhizome very short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, shortly villose. Stems erect, somewhat compressed, densely leafy, entirely covered by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, ligulate, obtuse, up to 14 cm long, near the middle or below the middle 1.3-1.7 cm wide, sheaths on both sides with rounded apical margins, without appendages. Capitulum densely flowered, about 3-3.7 cm across, at first enveloped with several sheaths. Peduncles short, covered with a few scales, 1-3-flowered. Bracts very small, apiculate, hyaline. Flowers erect or erect-patent. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, or acuminate, glabrous, about 5.5 mm long. Lateral sepals oblique, somewhat widened at the base. Petals obliquely ovate-lanceolate, narrowed in upper half, apiculate, glabrous, slightly shorter than the sepals. Lip in basal part globose-saccate, 3-lobed, 0.6 cm long; lateral lobes erect, oblique, rounded, very small; mid-lobe with a short claw, reniform, apiculate, 3.5 mm long, 5 mm wide near the middle, in front of the contracted opening of the sac with an ascending, transverse lamella, which is shortly and obtusely bidentate at the apex, sac 0.2 cm across. Column slender, rather long in the genus, a little shorter than the lip, at the apex on the frontal sides with a porrect, broadly conical callosity. Anther subglobose-cucullate, glabrous, slightly notched at the apex. Ovary cylindrical, glabrous, sessile, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flower white with two red spots on the lip. Column with red spots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland rainforest. Altitude 250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 24-91M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, keep in light shade.
Note: Closely related to Agrostophyllum brachiatum J.J.Sm., possibly conspecific.