Malaxis stenostachys (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 24 (1970) 84
Basionym: Microstylis stenostachys
Terrestrial, erect, 35-50 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem very short, usually almost absent, 3-5-leaved. Leaves erect-patent or erect, petiolate; blade subfalcate-elliptic, acuminate, glabrous. 6-16 cm long, near or below the middle 2.5-4.5 cm wide; petiole broad, sheathing at the base, 2.5-5 cm long. Inflorescence straight or nearly so, angular, with a few small, distant, bract-like scales, glabrous; rachis slender, densely to rather laxly many-flowered, elongated, up to 20 cm long, 0.7-0.8 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts deflexed, narrowly lanceolate, long acuminate, usually longer than the ovary. Flowers patent, glabrous. Median sepal ovate, obtuse, almost 0.3cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, about as long as the median sepal, obtuse. Petals obliquely linear-ligulate, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base sagittate; blade in apical third 3-lobed, 0.25 cm long, near the middle 0.3 cm wide, lateral lobes 4-dentate [Schlechter writes ‘5-dentate’, but they are clearly 4-dentate in his drawing], with the outermost tooth very small, triangular, acute, the inner 3 [‘2’] teeth a little longer, all falcate-lanceolate, acute; mid-lobe short, semiorbicular, obtuse, at the apex shortly bifid, a little shorter than the inner teeth of the lateral lobes; basal callus horseshoe-shaped, the legs of the callus towards the apex conspicuously dilated and vanishing in the middle of the lip-blade, median pit ovate; auricles obliquely triangular, subobtuse subacuminate, parallel, slightly more than 0.15 cm long. Column short, rather thick. Anther reniform-cucullate, obtuse apiculate. Ovary with pedicel glabrous, subclavate, 6-ribbed, c. 0.25 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Leaves dull brown-red. Flowers violet-red.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 300 to 450 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 431-415M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.