Kuhlhasseltia papuana J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 12, 1 (1913) 9, pl. 3, fig. 5
Type: Gjellerup 569 (holo BO)
Small terrestrial herb. Stem at the base decumbent and rooting, ascending, terete, erect part 1.25-1.5 cm long, 5-6-leaved. Leaves ovate, 0.9-1.65 by 0.75-1.1 cm, at the apex obtuse or slightly narrowed, at the base cuneate and channelled, slightly undulate, 3-nerved, in the basal part 5-nerved; mid-rib grooved above, prominent below, obtuse; petiole channelled, including the short tubular sheath 0.3-0.75 cm long, erect-patent. Inflorescence almost secund, laxly c. 6-flowered, peduncle 4-5 cm long, pubescent, with c. 2 small, basally tubular, acute, appressed, 0.95-1.5 cm long scales; rachis pubescent, 1.8 cm long. Floral bracts appressed to the ovary, ovate, long acuminate, especially in the basal part lacerate-fimbriate, concave, 0.83 cm long, including the fringes 0.33 cm wide, 1-nerved, dorsally near the apex rather finely warty. Flowers erect, slightly recurved, 0.63 cm long, with almost parallel sepals. Median sepal linear-oblong, 0.55 cm long, at the base 0.16 cm wide, towards the apex slightly narrowed, obtuse, strongly concave, outside convex, dorsally near the apex sparsely strigillose, 1-nerved. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, strongly concave, dorsally convex, dorsally near the apex sparsely strigillose, 1-nerved, 0.6 cm long, at the base 0.27 cm wide, near the middle 0.14 cm wide, subacute, at the base obliquely rounded-dilated, clasping the entire spur of the lip. Petals cohering with the median sepal, obliquely lanceolate, unequal sided, 0.5 by 0.15 cm, subacute, with somewhat wavy margins, concave, 1-nerved. Lip spurred, in total 0.6 cm long, to the apex of the ovary 0.53 cm long, hypochile strongly concave with incurved margins, appressed to the column, almost tubular, 1-nerved, in the middle with a broad, oblong, carnose-thickened, rather finely warty band with raised margins, near the apex contracted into a blade with a short and broad claw with incurved margins, the blade on either side separated from the claw by an oblique, transverse, inward fold, margins erect-incurved forming a subconical, acute funnel opening towards the base, when flattened triangular-reniform, at the apex subtruncate, lobules rounded at the base, somewhat wavy, 0.13 by 0.23 cm; spur pointing backwards, making an acute angle with the ovary, ovoid-conical, broadly obtuse, 3-nerved, dorsally 0.18 cm, in front 0.23 cm long, inside with two thickly conical, obtuse calli. Column in total 0.3 cm long. In the type specimen the column is abnormal, in that the lateral stigma lobes are each transformed into a rostellum ,while the rostellum is transformed into a small viscid stigma-lobe. Anther elongated-ovate-oblong, at the apex slightly dilated, obtusely apiculate, at the base slightly cordate, 0.25 cm long. Ovary glabrous, 6-grooved, 0.63 cm long. (After Smith, 1913)
Colours: Leaves and peduncle greenish violet-red. Flowers white or pale pink.
Habitat: Terrestrial in montane forest; 1400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 395-7M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.