Calanthe leucosceptrum Schltr. var. bisubulifera J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 358, pl. 48, 18
Type: Lam 1413 (holo L; iso BO)
Pseudobulbs 0.7 cm apart, with the rhizome forming an acute angle, 5-6-leaved, lower leaves smaller grading into sheaths. Leaves linear-lanceolate, very long narrowed, acute, at the base gradually petiolate-narrowed, glabrous, the three main nerves dorsally prominent, when dried papyraceous, up to 37 cm long, 2 cm wide; petiole with sheath 3-ribbed, 13 cm long. Inflorescence axillary, erect, many-flowered, glabrous, peduncle 31 cm long, with 8, apiculate, somewhat inflated, up to 3.5 cm long scales of which the upper ones are larger and more distant, rachis 5 cm long. Floral bracts soon falling off. Flowers 12, facing all sides, medium-sized, glabrous, 2.75 cm long. Median sepal ovate, abruptly subulate-acuminate, concave, 3- (weakly 5-)nerved, 1.1 cm long, 0.62 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acute, apiculate, front margin at the base slightly produced, somewhat concave, 5(-6)-nerved, 1.25 cm long, 0.65 cm wide. Petals subobliquely elliptic, apex triangular-contracted, acute, at the base shortly contracted, concave, dorsally longitudinally grooved, 3-nerved, 1 cm long, 0.68 cm wide. Lip 3-lobed, spurred, adnate to the column for 0.5 cm, forming a laterally compressed tube, blade porrect, without callus, when flattened 0.7 cm, to the apex of the lateral lobes 0.3 cm long, across the lateral lobes 0.6 cm wide; lateral lobes small, erect, porrect, falcate-triangular, acute, outer margin rounded; mid-lobe much larger, margin incurved, in front channelled, quadrangular, apex truncate with an obtuse lobule, angles rounded, irregularly marginate, 0.43 cm long and wide; spur with the ovary forming a very sharp angle, elongated, slender, somewhat sigmoid, apex slightly widened, obtuse, at the base dilated and laterally compressed, 1.75 cm long. Column rather long for the genus, in front strongly obliquely truncate, dorsally convex, 0.63 cm long, clinandrium hollow, back margin notched and on either side dentate, auricles short, provided with a slender subulate tooth and a short tooth. Anther cucullate, cordate, 0.2 cm wide, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, at the base orbicular-bilobed, connective convex-thickened. Rostellum obliquely porrect, elongated, subulate. Stigma transverse. Ovary 6-grooved, glabrous, 0.8 cm long; pedicel thinner, 1.3 cm long. (After Smith, 1929)
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 101-200M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.