Calanthe parvilabris

Calanthe parvilabris Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 143

Type: Schlechter 13954 (holo B, lost)

Rhizome very short, roots elliptic, filiform, flexuose, shortly villose. Stem 5-7-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate; petiole 40 cm long, grooved; blade lanceolate, 60 by 7 cm, gradually narrowing to the petiole, plicate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence racemose, erect, as long as or shorter than the leaves, terete, glabrous, peduncle-scales distant, acuminate; rachis 8 cm long, rather lax. Floral bracts lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, apex acuminate. Pedicel and ovary 2 cm long, clavate. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 1.1 cm long, apex shortly acuminate. Lateral sepals patent, obliquely ovate-oblong. Petals elliptic-ovate, somewhat recurved, 0.9 cm long, apex acuminate. Lip with a linear basal claw, 3-lobed, 0.9 by 0.4 cm (including the claw), spurred; lateral lobes divergent, oblong, small, obtuse; mid-lobe much larger, oblong, acuminate; spur cylindric, 1.8 cm long, somewhat widened at the apex. Column dorsally sharply keeled, 0.6 cm long. Anther cordate, acute.
(After Schlechter, 1905).

Colours: Flower pure white.

Habitat: Terrestrial in leaf-litter in lower montane forest. Altitude 1200 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 101-255M.JPG

Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.

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