Devogelia intonsa Schuit., Blumea 49 (2004) 362, fig. 1
Type: Vogel, de 4175 (holo L), N Moluccas, Obi Island, Anggai, Gunung Batu Putih
Rhizome creeping (only fragments preserved), 0.3-0.5 cm thick. Roots not or sparsely branching, densely shortly pubescent, 0.2-0.3 cm thick. Pseudobulbs ca. 2.5 cm apart, broadly ovoid, 1.5-3 by 1-2 cm, consisting of ca. 4 internodes, enveloped in 3-4 relatively very long cataphylls, which increase in size upwards, the largest 12-30 cm long, 1-leaved, sometimes with a much narrower second leaf; on older pseudobulbs the cataphylls dissolve into fibres and wither away. Leaves erect, rather stiff, long petiolate, inarticulate, duplicate or convolute?; petiole 15-42 cm long, channelled; blade plicate, narrowly elliptic, 32-60 by 2.8-5.7 cm (second leaf linear, 1-1.3 cm wide), acuminate, many-veined, with about 5 prominent veins below. Inflorescence 43-110 cm tall, terminal from the axil of the uppermost leaf, racemose, glabrous, 9-11-flowered, the flowers opening in succession or a few at a time; peduncle terete, 40-104 cm long, with 5-7 widely spaced tubular, oblique scales that become progressively shorter upwards; rachis relatively very short, 3-6 cm long, terete, distance between successive flowers 0.3-0.6 cm. Floral bracts persistent, glabrous, suborbicular, concave, ca. 0.2 by 0.2 cm, rounded-obtuse. Pedicel and ovary terete, weakly 6-ribbed, glabrous, 2(-3) cm long, 0.2 cm diameter, twisted at the base. Flower relatively small, resupinate. Sepals free, glabrous, 9-veined. Median sepal subspathulate-oblong, 1.63-2.1(-2.4) by 0.6-0.63(-0.7) cm, apex rounded-subacute. Lateral sepals obliquely subspathulate-obovate, 1.25-1.5(-1.7) by 0.7(-0.9) cm, apex broadly rounded-subacute. Petals free, inside at the base with a few scattered, subulate hairs, obliquely subspathulate, subfalcate, 1.25-2(-2.1) by 0.35-0.38 cm, apex rounded-obtuse, apical margin slightly irregular, 5-veined. Lip shortly clawed, deeply 3-lobed, immobile, when flattened 1.2-1.38 by 1.2-1.43(-1.5) cm, margins entire; claw 0.25 by 0.22 cm, margins erect-incurved; basal part of the lip with two broad, swollen, parallel keels that extend to the base of the claw of the mid-lobe, the keels separated by a narrow groove and gradually widening towards the lip apex; the claw, the keels, and the lateral lobes near their basal margins very densely covered with c. 0.15 cm long, subulate, unicellular hairs; lateral lobes erect, falcate, obliquely ovate, free part c. 0.37(-0.45) cm long, rounded; mid-lobe reflexed, when flattened 1-1.25 cm wide, shortly and broadly clawed, deeply bilobulate with broad, widely divergent, broadly rounded to subtruncate lobules, minutely apiculate in the sinus between the lobules, on the adaxial surface with raised veins. Column erect, sparsely hairy in front at the base, otherwise glabrous, almost straight to curved, very slightly winged along the upper margins, 1.5 by 0.45 cm, with a c. 0.2 cm long, straight foot; stigma transverse, with somewhat swollen lower margin; rostellum transverse, broad, truncate, with three longitudinal folds, one in the centre and two near the sides, of which the median one is the most prominent. Anther in outline transversely subrectangular with rounded corners, glabrous, 0.12 by 0.16 cm. Pollinia 4, in two pairs, superposed, those of a pair slightly unequal, the largest 0.09 by 0.06 cm, in outline rectangular with rounded corners, concave on one side, the smallest similar but slightly smaller, without appendages (see note 1 below). Fruit not seen. (Description of the vegetative parts, the inflorescence, the anther and the pollinia from dried material only. Measurements based on spirit material, when outside the range of the rehydrated herbarium material, between brackets.) (After Schuiteman, 2004).
Colours: Flower green, lip creamy-green with brown front margin, central line and base; column greenish white (type), or flower green, lip yellow or white with three yellow stripes in the centre and along edge of mid-lobe; column pale yellow. Leaves dark green, light green below, pseudobulbs blackish green (van Royen & Sleumer specimens). Finally, Mahyar 5083 is described as having green sepals and petals, a greenish white lip with brown margins at the junction of mid-lobe and lateral lobes, and a white column with brown apical front margins. Possibly parts of the flower turn yellowish with age, as happens in many orchids.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane oak forest, locally very common. Altitude 1170-1280 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, November, December.
Distribution: Malesia (Moluccas [Obi Island], New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 863-1M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.