Cystorchis orphnophila Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 67
Type: Schlechter 20182 (holo B, lost)
Terrestrial, erect, about 25 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, stem-like. Roots elongated, flexuose, villose. Stem leafy. Leaves patent, subrosulate-approximate, petiolate; blade ovate, acute or subacute, glabrous, 2.3-4 cm long, below the middle 1.7-2 cm broad; petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 0.7-1 cm long. Inflorescence rather densely few-flowered (3-flowered in the type specimen), glandulose-puberulous, peduncle with a few appressed, distant scales, terete. Bracts lanceolate, acuminate, as long as the ovary, puberulous. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals sparsely glandulose-puberulous, obtuse. Median sepal lanceolate-ligulate, 0.6 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, 0.7 cm long, at the base with the outer margin dilated into a suborbicular, concave lobe. Petals falcate-ligulate, obtuse, apically minutely papillose, along the anterior margin papillose-ciliate. Lip almost as long as the sepals, at the base with two subreniform, globose bladders, contracted, produced into an oblanceolate blade with incurved margins, which is distinctly dilated at the rounded apex, terminating in a minute, concave lobule which resembles an apiculus, in the middle outside above minutely verruculose, bladders on underside obovoid, inside with a rounded callus, spur obliquely conical, obtuse, somewhat laterally compressed, glabrous, almost as long as the bladders. Column short, stigma at the base with a narrow hyaline margin; rostellum short. Anther in outline ovate, cucullate, deeply cordate, acuminate, adorned with a transversely semilunate umbo. Pollinia obliquely clavate, viscidium smaller, oblong. Ovary cylindrical, glandulose-puberulous, 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Leaves dark red-brown. Flower white, sepals brownish in the centre, apex of lip yellow.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 209-15M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires humus-rich compost and shaded position.