Malaxis quadridens (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 24 (1970) 84
Basionym: Microstylis quadridens
Terrestrial, erect, 22-27 cm high. Rhizome short, stem-like; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem cylindrical, glabrous, 6-8 cm long, 3-4-leaved Leaves erect-patent, petiolate; blade obliquely ovate or ovate-elliptic, acuminate, glabrous, 9-11 cm long, below the middle 4-5.5 cm wide; petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 2.5-4 cm long. Inflorescence slender, with a few small, distant, bract-like scales, angular, glabrous; rachis densely many-flowered, cylindrical, elongated, up to 7 cm long, c. 1.2 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts deflexed, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, as long as or slightly longer than the ovary. Flowers patent, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, 0.25 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, obtuse, a little shorter than the median sepal. Petals obliquely linear, obtuse, as long as the lateral sepals. Lip at the base deeply sagittate, above the middle 3-lobed, c. 0.2 cm long, between the apices of the lateral lobes almost 0.3 cm wide; lateral lobes subobtuse, short; mid-lobe dived into four subfalcate-lanceolate, about equally long teeth. Lip with two calli, together horseshoe-shaped, divergent, decurrent from the base of the mid-lobe to base the base of the auricles; auricles obliquely ovate-ligulate, obtuse, almost cohering, almost 0.15 cm long. Column short, rather thick. Ovary with pedicel glabrous, 6-ribbed, 0.25 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Not recorded.
Habitat: Terrestrial in montane forest; 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 431-351M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.