Vanda hindsii Lindl., London J. Bot. 2 (1843) 237
Type: Hinds s.n. (New Guinea) (holo K)
Stem subterete, 1.1 cm diam., internodes 1.2-1.5 cm long. Leaves strap-shaped, 28-35 by 3.5 cm, recurved, sharply keeled below, thick coriaceous, at the base folded-channelled, apex unequally 2-lobed, the lobes obtuse and irregularly dentate with a tooth formed by the prolonged median keel in between; sheaths tubular, longer than the internodes, 2.5 cm long. Inflorescence axillary, shorter than the leaves, laxly c. 6-flowered, 15 cm long or more; peduncle terete, 7 cm long; rachis flexuose, angular. Floral bracts broadly triangular, obtuse, 0.4-0.5 cm long. Flowers 3.75 cm wide, fleshy, fragrant. Sepals and petals widely patent, spathulate, with a strongly convex claw, blade ovate-rounded, laxly undulate. Median sepal when spread 1.85 cm long, blade ovate, 1.5 cm wide, claw 0.65 by 0.6 cm. Lateral sepals oblique, 1.9 cm long, blade 1.6 cm wide, claw subfalcate, 0.5 by 0.7 cm. Petals oblique, 1.9 cm long, blade 1.3 cm wide, claw subfalcate, 0.5 by 0.5 cm. Lip spurred, 3-lobed, in total 1.5 cm long, near the base between the lateral lobes with two somewhat cushion-shaped calli separated by a longitudinal groove; spur pointing backwards, oblong, laterally flattened, obtuse, inside minutely puberulous, 0.45 cm long; lateral lobes small, pointing upwards, with the upper margins divergent, obliquely quadrangular, 0.35 by 0.28 cm; mid-lobe porrect, almost pandurate, 3-lobulate, when flattened 1.2 by 1.15 cm, with 5 conspicuous ribs, towards the apex with a smaller rib in between, the grooves between the ribs dilated towards the apex, the median rib apically forked, the basal lobules horizontal, broadly obliquely ovate-triangular, subobtuse, minutely puberulous, terminal lobule almost square, truncate, apex shortly 3-lobulate, strongly convex, concave below, when flattened 0.7 by 0.85 cm. Column short, at the base dilated into two rounded, fleshy lobes, 0.65 by 0.85 cm; rostellum very short, triangular-notched; stigma transverse, linear, deeply concave. Anther convex, transversely ovate, 0.3 cm wide, with a longitudinal rib, with a broad, obtuse beak; pollinia 2, deeply bipartite, subovoid, dorsally compressed, stipe broad, rather short, viscidium large, rounded-ovate. Ovary pedicellate, 6-angular, 4.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Leaves shiny green, when young with brownish purple dots. Sepals and petals inside shiny, largely cinnamon-brown, with pale yellow margins, in the centre pale yellow with cinnamon-brown stripes and dots, outside dull, pale yellowish. Lip white, at the base of the lateral lobes with a few violet dots, on the mid-lobe with yellow ribs separated by dark brown grooves. Column white, at the base dark violet. Anther yellowish white, pollinia yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in riverine forest; 0 to 900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, June, July, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Australia, Solomon Islands.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 717-50M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, requires light position.