Diglyphosa latifolia Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 337; Tab. & Pl. Jav. Orchid. (1825) t. 60
Type: Blume s.n. (1822, Java, Meggamedong) (holo L)
Plant to 90 cm high excluding the inflorescence. Roots 5-15 on each rhizome part between 2 pseudobulbs, to 17 cm long, 0.2-0.3 cm diam. Rhizome fleshy, to 25 cm long, 0.6-1.1 cm diam. Rhizome scales soon caducous, only remnants seen. Pseudobulbs alternatingly 1-3 bearing a leaf and 1 bearing an inflorescence, 1.5-5 cm apart, rather slender, more or less clearly articulated at the junction with petiole or scape, when dried all rather coarsely longitudinally wrinkled; leaf-bearing ones tapering to the top, quadrangular in section, 6.5-19 cm long, 0.7-1.1 cm diam.; inflorescence-bearing ones cylindrical, 1-2 cm long, 0.4-0.5 cm diam. Pseudobulb scales on leaf-bearing pseudobulbs c. 9 cm long, 0.7-0.8 cm diam., top acute, nerves c. 17; on inflorescence-bearing pseudobulbs 0.15-0.28 cm long, 0.6-0.8 cm diam, top acute to shortly acuminate, nerves c. 17; soon caducous. Petiole 8-33 cm by 0.25-0.5 cm. Leaf blade elliptic to lanceolate, 20-37 by 7.5-16.5 cm; top acute to acuminate; base attenuate; main nerves 5-8, below prominent, above slightly prominent; small nerves many. Raceme 30-80 flowered, branching in the largest plants. Scape 10-28 cm long, 0.2-0.4 cm diam.; internodes (2-)3-4, lowest one 2.9-7.5 cm long, central one(s) 4.2-9.5 cm long, highest one 0.7-9 cm long; scales (1-)1.5-3.5 cm long, 0.4-0.8 cm diam., their top acute to acuminate, nerves c. 19. Rachis somewhat triangular, to 18 cm long, 0.2-0.4 cm diam.; internodes 0.05-1.8 cm long. Bracts more or less reflexed, lanceolate, 0.6-1.3 by 0.17-0.26 cm; top acuminate; nerves 3. Flowers close together, most open at the same time. Pedicel star-shaped in section 0.5-0.8 by 0.05-0.06 cm; ovary star-shaped in section, 0.4-0.6 by 0.07-0.1 cm. Median sepal somewhat incurved, lanceolate, 0.9-1.62 by 0.2-0.4(-0.5) cm; top acuminate; nerves 5, mid-rib slightly prominent outside. Lateral sepals rather broadly inserted on the column-foot, lanceolate, more or less strongly falcate, 0.65-1.3 by 0.23-0.4 cm; top acuminate; nerves 5, midrib slightly prominent outside. Petals ovate-lanceolate, somewhat falcate, 0.65-1.33 by 0.25-0.52 cm; top acuminate; nerves 5, midrib slightly prominent outside. Lip mobile, narrowly attached on the column-foot, rather fleshy, patent, entire, in outline oblong to obovate and somewhat constricted in the middle, the distal part rather strongly recurved, 0.41-0.6 by 0.2-0.4 cm; base semi-orbicular; top obtuse, with a narrowly triangular, acute or obtuse, 0.01-0.04 cm long tip; margins entire, sometimes the lateral margins finely papillose; keels 2, fleshy, starting 0.1-0.15 cm from the base, and there 0.15-0.25 cm apart, semi-orbicular, 0.15-0.2 cm long, 0.05-0.1 cm high, margin entire, keels converging towards the front, each continuing 0.05-0.08 cm apart as a low, c. 0.02 cm high, entire, fleshy ridge, ending and more or less clearly fusing 0.05-0.15 cm from the top. Column upper part more or less clearly curved forward, slightly swollen at the obtuse, blunt tipped top, 0.35-0.56 cm by 0.08-0.12 cm; laterally on either side with a narrow seam, 0.01-0.04 cm high, starting at the front of the column-foot, continuing upwards along the sides of the column, ending laterally of the stigma; column-foot simple, flat, 0.1-0.15 cm long, c. 0.1 cm wide, 0.03-0.05 cm high. Anther 2-celled, cordate, c. 0.1 by 0.1 cm; top acute and projecting upwards; base emarginate; lateral margins on either side with a sharp, c. 0.05 cm long, downwards projecting point; central part of connective somewhat cleft. Pollinia conical to ovoid, laterally somewhat flattened, 0.08-0.1 cm by 0.06-0.07 cm; top obtuse; base semi-orbicular. Stigma semi-orbicular, c. 0.08 by 0.08 cm; rostellum an inconspicuous, narrow ridge. Fruit not seen. (After Van der Burgh and De Vogel, 1997).
Colours: Pseudobulb dark brown, petiole green, leaf pale green with darker blotches. Peduncle, bracts, ovary and pedicel purple. Sepals orange, flushed and veined with purple, petals somewhat paler. Lip orange, keels somewhat darker. Column yellow.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude c. 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea, The Philippines), Solomon Islands (Bougainville), Sikkim, India (Arunchal Pradesh).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 230-4M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.