Eurycentrum monticola Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 64
Type: Schlechter 18555 (holo B, lost; iso BO, E, K, L, NSW)
Terrestrial, slender, erect, 12-23 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, stem-like. Roots elongated, flexuose, villose. Stem leafy, terete, glabrous. Leaves almost rosulate, patent, shortly petiolate, ovate or ovate-elliptic, acute, glabrous, 1.8-3.5 cm long, in or below the middle 1.2-2 cm broad, petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 0.6-1 cm long. Inflorescence laxly 5-8-flowered, secund, glandulose-puberulous, peduncle with a few distant, bract-like scales, rachis up to 7 cm long. Bracts erect-patent, lanceolate, acuminate, usually as long as the ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Median sepal elliptic, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, in lower half sparsely covered with backwards-pointing hairs, 0.6 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong-ligulate, narrowly obtuse, widened at the base, decurrent, as long as the median sepal, in lower half sparsely covered with backwards-pointing hairs. Petals lanceolate-ligulate, falcate, obtuse, glabrous, as long as and adhering to the median sepal. Lip at the base ovate-saccate, oblong-cucullate, in front expanded into a transversely oblong, apiculate lobe, a little longer than the sepals, inside with two globose, very shortly stalked calli, apical lobe 0.2 cm long, 0.4 cm broad, spur obtuse, almost 0.4 cm long. Column short, margins of the stigma wing-like raised, at the base extended into an obtuse lobe. Anther suborbicular, cucullate, dorsally distinctly gibbose. Pollinia obliquely clavate, short, viscidium large, rounded. Ovary covered with backwards-pointing hairs, about 0.7 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Flowers outside reddish brown, petals and lip pure white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest. Altitude 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 298-5M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires humus-rich compost and shaded position.