Glossorhyncha nigricans P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2 (1979) 647, fig. 229
Type: Balgooy, van 627 (holo L)
Erect, much branched, broom-like, terrestrial or epiphytic, up to 35 cm high, densely bushy herb with erect, at tip slightly pendulous branches. Stems terete, glabrous. Leaf erect, subcoriaceous, glabrous, lanceolate-linear, sometimes slightly ovate or obovate, 0.7-2,5 by 0.1-0.2 cm, at tip unequally 2 lobed with both lobes obtuse, mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 2 on either side of mid-rib, prominent on underside only, margin membranous; sheaths rather densely warty mainly on the ribs, tubular, 0.5-2.2 cm long, many-ribbed, along apical margin with 0.1-0.25 cm long bristles, each scattered papillate. Spathe finely papillate on outside, widely obovoid-tubular, 1.2 by 0.4 cm, acute, 5-nerved, mid-rib crested at tip. Floral bract glabrous, shorter or longer and narrower and thinner than spathe, very thinly 5-nerved. Ovary oblong-clavate, 1.3 by 0.2 cm, distinctly 3-winged, each wing composed of two ribs, glabrous. Median sepal glabrous, oblong-ovate, 1.2-1.4 by 0.4-0.5 cm, rounded, apiculate, 3-nerved at base, 5-7-nerved in higher parts. Lateral sepals glabrous free, slightly obliquely oblong-elliptic, 1.2-1.4 by 0.35-0.4 cm, rounded, apiculate, at base obliquely widened, 3-nerved at base, 5-7-nerved in higher parts. Petals broadly elliptic, 1.2 by 0.4 cm, rounded, 3-nerved at base, glabrous. Lip adnate to base of column, free part triangular, 0.6 by 0.8 cm, obtuse, 5-nerved, finely papillate on either side in a narrow strip along apical part; spur glabrous, cylindrical, sigmoid, 1.2 cm long, flattened and truncate at tip, broadly shallowly grooved above with a raised mid-rib in the groove. Column short, curved, 0.3 by 0.2 by 0.2 cm, clinandrium crenulate-dentate. Anther broadly ellipsoid, 0.12 by 0.2 by 0.15 cm, subtruncate and emarginate at base, truncate-retuse at tip, connective umbonate at base. Pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.06 cm long. Capsule ellipsoid, 1.2 by 0.5 cm, 3-ribbed, glabrous. (After Van Royen, 1979).
Colours: Flowers light green but tip of lip yellow or green. Capsule dark brown.
Habitat: Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions. Altitude 3353-3600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 325-67M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, keep in light position.
Note: The genus Glossorhyncha is here considered to be a synonym of Glomera. For the present species a name under Glomera is not yet available; it may be a species already described under a different name.