Plocoglottis latifrons J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 135
Type: Gjellerup 1006 (holo BO)
Roots 0.1-0.3 cm diameter. Rhizome creeping, 0.42-0.8 (-1) cm diameter, internodes between stems 4-7. Stems 0.23-5.5 cm apart, 33-53 by 0.2-0.37 cm, cylindrical sometimes obclavate, internodes 8-13, 0.9-12.7 cm long; (3-) 5-8-leaved. Cataphylls 4-7. Leaves petiolate or sessile; sheaths 3.5-5.1 cm long; petiole sessile to 1.8 cm long; blade 11.8-20 by 2.9-4.7 cm, index 4-5, lanceolate, base cuneate, apex acuminate, glabrous, with 3 prominent veins underneath. Inflorescence 40-93 cm long, 17-40-flowered. Peduncle 25-54 by 0.2-0.5 cm, sparsely pubescent, internodes 5-10, 0.2-12.3 cm long; peduncle scales 0.7-6.1 cm long, tubular, apex obtuse to acuminate, sparsely pubescent; rachis 15-57 by 0.1-0.2 cm densely pubescent, internodes 20-45, 0.4-13.7 cm long. Bracts; sterile bracts 2-5; floral bracts 1-1.51 by 0.34-0.5 cm, lanceolate, apex acuminate, sparsely pubescent on both sides, sometimes moderately abaxially pubescent, with 6-9 distinct veins at base. Flowers 1.72-2.73 cm wide. Median sepal 1.15-1.88 by 0.4-0.59 cm, oblong-lanceolate, sometimes lanceolate, apex acute, sometimes acuminate, moderately abaxially, sparsely adaxially pubescent, above half to apex thick in texture, sometimes thin, 2-8 distinct veins. Lateral sepals 1.32-2 by 0.36-0.55 cm, oblong-lanceolate, subfalcate, base oblique with short lobule, apex acuminate, sparsely to moderately abaxially, sparsely adaxially pubescent, with 3-8 distinct veins. Petals 1.1-1.4 (-1.77) by 0.17-0.29 cm, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, sometimes subfalcate, base parallel, apex acute to acuminate, sparsely pubescent on both sides, above half thick in texture, sometimes thin, with 3-5 distinct veins at base. Lip total 0.73-1.11 by 0.4-0.5 cm at base, 0.6-1 cm at apex, adnate to column-foot with basal lamellae, 2/3-3/4 below quadrangular, 1/3-1.4 at apex broadly truncate, with 9-11 distinct veins, at base with a small sac formed by column-foot and lip base 0.1-0.17 cm long; blade with two basal lamellae, grooved along the median of adaxial side, on the adaxial side with two thickening above the lamellae, lateral margins in basal half thick, entire, in upper half to apex thin, abruptly truncate, in the middle with 0.1-0.2, triangular, acute to short acuminate acumen, glabrous. Column 0.37-0.42 by 0.1-0.43 cm, clavate, without lateral wings, sparsely abaxially pubescent, apical margin entire sometimes minutely erose. Anther 0.12-0.2 by 0.1-0.2 cm, cordate, apical margin entire, apex retuse or obtuse, glabrous sometimes sparsely abaxially pubescent, with a long keel. Stigma obdeltoid, rostellum orbicular to broadly elliptic. Pollinia 0.1 by 0.06-0.09 cm, orbicular to semi-orbicular in lateral view, caudicle 0.11-0.15 cm long. Pedicel with ovary 1-2 by 0.08-0.15 cm, clavate sometimes cylindrical. (After Eang Hourt, unpublished manuscript 2004)
Colours: Leaves deep green, bract light green; sepals and petals orange-yellow, red spotted; lip white, apex yellow, column white at base, yellow at apex.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 150 to 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, July, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 564-24M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.