Nervilia macrophylla Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 42
Type: Schlechter 16476 (syn B, lost); 18078 (syn B, lost; iso G, L)
Terrestrial, erect, 35-55 cm high. Tuber globose. Leaf long petiolate; blade reniform-cordate, shortly acuminate, slightly angular, 8-12 cm long, below the middle 12-15 cm wide, glabrous on both sides; petiole grooved, 12-20 cm long. Inflorescence straight or nearly so, terete, glabrous, with 3-4 long-clasping, subacute, distant sheaths, usually all below the middle. Rachis laxly 4-7-flowered, secund, erect. Floral bracts pendulous, lanceolate-elliptic, more or less surpassing the pedicel and ovary in length. Flowers pendent. Sepals lanceolate-ligulate, acuminate, somewhat narrowed towards the base, glabrous, 2.8 cm long; lateral sepals oblique. Petals similar to the sepals but a little shorter. Lip in outline broadly elliptic, above the middle 3-lobed, inside sparsely and shortly puberulous, towards the middle pilose, without keels, 2 cm long, between the apices of the lateral lobes 1.8 cm wide; lateral lobes slightly divergent, ovate-triangular, subacute; mid-lobe much larger, semiorbicular, apiculate, margins ciliate-dentate, undulate, c. 0.9 cm long, at the base 1.4 cm wide. Column slender, somewhat dilated towards the apex, in front in the basal half puberulous, 1.2 cm long, clinandrium dorsally trilobulate. Anther semiglobose-cucullate, in front bidentate, glabrous. Ovary with pedicel clavate, glabrous, 6-ribbed, c. 1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals and petals yellowish green, lip white with violet veins.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest, sometimes in swampy places; 40 to 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 479-50M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.
Notes: Very similar to Nervilia aragoana Gaudich., possibly not distinct.