Spathoglottis plicata Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 401; Tab. & Pl. Jav. Orchid. (1825) t. 76
Type: Blume 1884 (holo L; iso L, P)
Rhizome very short. Pseudobulbs clustered, 4-7-leaved, ovoid to obliquely conical, 1.5-8 by 1-5 cm, internodes more or less evenly spaced. Leaves petiolate; petiole 12-45 cm long; blade lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 26-150 by 1.5-9.5 cm, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, erect, 50-220 cm long, glabrous in basal half, more or less tomentose-pubescent in upper half, peduncle-scales c. 2-7, tubular, rachis tomentose, gradually elongating, few- to many-flowered, with up to 6 or more flowers open at a time. Floral bracts oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, 1.4-3.3 by 0.8-1.8 cm, pubescent, persistent, apex acute to acuminate. Ovary c. 3.7 cm long, pubescent. Flowers 3-4.2 cm diam. Median sepal narrowly ovate, 1.3-2.1 by 0.6-1 cm, pubescent outside, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, 1.4-2.2 by 0.6-1.1 cm, pubescent outside, slightly keeled along mid-vein, apex obtuse. Petals ovate to obliquely elliptic, 1.3-2.3 by 1.3-2.3 cm, glabrous, sometimes sparsely and minutely pubescent at base. Lip 3-lobed, 1.2-2 long, 1.2-1.9 cm wide between tips of lateral lobes when flattened; callus bilobed, with triangular-ovate lobes, 0.2-0.3 cm tall, 0.2-0.46 cm wide, with few to many hairs at the top and laterally at base; lateral lobes when flattened making a 90 to 118 degrees angle with the mid-lobe, oblong, dilated to apex or somewhat narrowed at apex or of equal width throughout, 0.6-0.8 by 0.3-0.55 cm, apex obliquely obtuse, rounded or truncate; mid-lobe 0.8-1.3 cm long including the narrow claw; claw 0.3-0.53 cm long, 0.03-0.16 cm wide, with a knee-like swelling or wart, with obliquely triangular deflexed lobules on either side of the bilobed callus; terminal lobule obcordate to reniform, 0.43-1 cm wide. Column slightly curved, 1.3-1.6 cm long. Fruit more or less cylindrical, 2.5-4 by 0.5-0.8 cm, with 1.5-2.8 cm long pedicel. (After Howcroft, 1992).
Colours: Flower white to pink or magenta; lateral lobes of lip deeper magenta or yellow, callus yellow, often with orange or red spots, terminal lobule of mid-lobe, if not white, somewhat darker than sepals and petals.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland and montane grassland, banks, forest margins, closed forest, usually in disturbed vegetation; 0 to 2970 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, Philippines, Batu, Mentawai and Lingga Islands), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Arch., Pacific islands east to Fiji and Tonga.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 652-52M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm to cool growing terrestrial, requires light position.