Habenaria trichaete Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 14
Type: Schlechter 16383 (holo B, lost)
Tuber oblongoid, roots elongated, flexuose, villose. Stem erect, terete, 70-80 cm long including inflorescence, in basal half covered in 5-7 scale-leaves, 7-8-leaved near the middle. Leaves rather crowded, erect-patent, elliptic, 18 by 4.5 cm, glabrous, apex acuminate. Inflorescence racemose, peduncle-scales bract-like; rachis 13 cm long, densely 15-25-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, as long as or a little longer than the ovary, apex acuminate. Pedicel and ovary 2 cm long, cylindric-subclavate. Flowers c. 2 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, apex with a 0.4-0.6 cm long bristle-like prolongation. Lateral sepals deflexed, obliquely ovate-oblong, 1 cm long, apex with a 0.4-0.6 cm long bristle-like prolongation. Petals obliquely linear, erect, along the front margin at the base with a 2 mm long subulate tooth, apex subacute. Lip 3-lobed, 1 cm long, spurred, glabrous; lateral lobes linear, somewhat falcate, narrower and about a fourth shorter than the mid-lobe, narrowly obtuse; mid-lobe linear, narrowly obtuse; spur cylindric, 1.7 cm long, a little thickened below the apex, narrowly obtuse. Column with triangular, obtuse rostellum, staminodes rounded, short, stigmatophores distinctly longer than the antherchannels. Anther apex obtuse, antherchannels porrect. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914).
Colours: Sepals bluish green, petals, lip and anther brownish.
Habitat: Terrestrial in leaf-litter in hill and lower montane forest. Altitude 400-1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 347-610M.JPG
Cultivation: Warm-intermediate growing terrestrial, keep in shade.
Note: Remarkbale for the unusually long extensions to the mid-vein of the lateral sepals.