Epiphytic herbs with robust fusiform pseudobulbs 8-25 cm. tall and 2-4.5 cm. wide, identical in vegetative appearance with those of Catasetum Oerstedii. Leaves 6-12, plicate, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, distichous, 20-45 cm. long and 5-12 cm. wide, the prominent veins persisting as stout spines at the apex of the imbricating bases after the leaf blades have fallen, most noticeable at the apex of the older pseudobulbs where they form a dense spinous cluster. Roots stout, with erect, slender, spinous, secondary rootlets which form a dense mat about the base of the pseudobulbs. Inflorescences erect or arching racemes produced from the base of the pseudobulbs, 25-70 cm. long. Flowers dimorphic, unisexual, the staminate and pistillate forms borne on separate scapes. Staminate flowers: those most frequently seen, 2-12, relatively large and conspicuous. Sepals membranaceous, free, subequal, pale green aging yellow, the dorsal sepal concave, elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 3.5-5 cm. long and 1.0-2.5 cm. wide, the laterals spreading, oblanceolate, acute, 4.5-5 cm. long and 1.5-3.0 cm. wide. Petals membranaceous, pale green aging yellow, ovate, acute, 3.5-4.5 cm. long and 2-3 cm. wide, the inner margins somewhat overlapping, forming with the dorsal sepal a concave trough under the column. Lip very firm, fleshy, globose, 3-3.5 cm. long and 3-3.5 cm. broad, with an abrupt, conical basal constriction, outer surface glabrous, yellow, the lateral margins minutely ciliate, pale green, aging yellow, apex obscurely emarginate; inner lip orange, strongly rugose-striate, terminating in a spreading fleshy callus just below the apex. Column rostrate, arcuate, broadly winged, 3.5 cm. long and 1.2 cm. broad, the under-surface with 2 elongate antennae, one usually unciform, the tip of the other extending nearly to the inner base of the lip. Anther rostrate; pollinia normal, ejected with considerable force on the slightest disturbance of the anther or antennae. Pistillate flowers relatively infrequent, 2-4 on an erect raceme. Sepals subequal, fleshy, green, spreading or reflexed, the dorsal sepal rectangular, obtuse or broadly acute, 1.5-2 cm. long and 1-1.2 cm. wide, the laterals broadly ligular, obliquely acute, 2-2.5 cm. long and 1.0-1.2 cm. broad. Petals fleshy, green, erect or reflexed, elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 2-2.5 cm. long and 1.2-1.5 cm. broad. Lip fleshy, firm, calceiform, 3-4 cm. long and 2.5-2.7 cm. broad, green on the outer surfaces, aging greenish yellow within, glabrous throughout. Column fleshy, very short, stout, 8-10 mm. long and 8-10 mm. broad, roughly triangular in cross-section, green or greenish yellow. Stigma normal.
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