Tainia trinervis (Blume) Rchb.f., Bonplandia 5 (1857) 54
Basionym: Mitopetalum trinerve
Stem of sterile shoot with 2-5 internodes, 38-73 mm long, 3-6 mm diam. (herb.). Pseudobulb cylindrical, slightly swollen towards the base, 30-68 by 3-6 mm, scale of subterminal node decaying to somewhat persistent, 70-97 mm long. Petiole 30-135 mm long. Leaf blade elliptic, 9.5-26.7 by 2.9-8.1 cm, index 2.3-7.2, acute; margin not undulate; thin, 33-61-veined (3 thickened). Inflorescence terminal, 28.0-69.6 cm long, 11-25-flowered, arising from the base of the pseudobulb. Peduncle 24-41.5 cm long, 1-4 mm diam. Peduncle scales 3-4, the longest 28-66 mm long. Rachis 8.1-29.6 cm long, 1-3 mm diam. Floral bracts patent to spreading, triangular, 4-11 mm long. Flowers several open simultaneously. Pedicel and ovary 7-18 mm long, as long as to longer than the bracts. Median sepal elliptic to triangular, 9-12.5 by 1.5-2 mm, index 5.5-8.3, obtuse, mid-vein not thickened abaxially. Lateral sepals elliptic to triangular, slightly falcate, 8-11 by 1.5-3 mm, index 3.3-5, obtuse, mid-vein usually not thickened abaxially. Petals obliquely elliptic to triangular, slightly falcate to falcate, 8.5-11 by 1.5-2 mm, index 4.3-7.3, obtuse, mid-vein usually not thickened abaxially. Lip blade three-lobed, in general outline elliptic, 6.5-8 by 5-6.5 mm, index 1.2-1.6; median lobe about triangular to orbicular, 2-3.5 by 4-5 mm, index 0.4-0.8; tip acuminate; margins entire, glabrous, rarely minutely papillose, adaxial surface usually minutely papillose; lateral lobes obliquely triangular, 1-2 mm long; tip acute to slightly obtuse; margins entire, minutely papillose, rarely glabrous; adaxial surface usually minutely papillose; lip adaxially with 3 keels, the median keel 3-7 mm long, starting at 1-5 mm, raised plate-like from the basal part of the lip, abruptly increasing in height distally, forming a disc-like flap, highest distally, crest straight, entire, glabrous, thickened throughout, sometimes doubled distally; the lateral keels 5-7 mm long, starting at 0.5-1.5 mm, raised plate-like from the basal part of the lip, forming a about triangular fleshy callus over c. 1 mm, then decreasing in height, abruptly increasing again on the median lobe, forming a disc-like flap, highest distally, crest straight to slightly undulating proximally, straight distally, entire, glabrous, thickened throughout, sometimes doubled proximally and distally. Column 3.5-5 mm long, stelidia absent; top part truncate to semi-orbicular, margin entire; wings seam-like, extending up to the tip of the column-foot; column-foot 0.5-2 mm long. Anther 1-1.5 by 1-1.5 mm, abaxially with 2 crests; thecae distinctly 2-4-celled. Pollinia 8. Fruit ellipsoid, c. 28 by c. 10 mm; stalk c. 8 mm long. (After Turner, 1992)
Colours: Leaves dull dark green above, sometimes mottled, green below. Sepals and petals olive-yellow, the petals with a broad crimson streak. Lip base yellow, rarely red, median lobe yellow heavily suffused purple, lateral lobes purple, rarely streaked yellow, lower keels yellow tipped purple, upper keels purple. Column yellow. Anther cream, crests purple.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 700 to 1200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, July, August, September, November.
Distribution: Malesia (Moluccas, New Guinea), Australia, Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 677-96M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.