Plants rather stout, 2-3 m. tall, the stem somewhat spiral; leaves closely sheathing, obovate to broadly oblanceolate, apex abruptly acuminate, base broadly cuneate and very obscurely auriculate-subcordate, sessile or subsessile, the upper 15-30 cm. long, 5-13 cm. broad, very conspicuously ferruginous-pilose, par-ticularly the sheaths, margins and midrib; inflorescence broadly ovoid, sessile and set amongst the upper somewhat reduced leaves, 5-10 cm. long; bracts all with spreading foliaceous tips, 5-8 cm. long, ferruginous-pilose, usually green within and without; calyx about 1 cm. long, broadly 3-dentate; ovary 0.5 cm. long; corolla pale yellow to nearly white, about 7 cm. long, the lobes oblong-elliptic; stamen 5-6 cm. long, oblong; labellum exceedingly showy, broadly 3-lobed, 9-10 cm. long, widely spreading, pale yellow, without markings (except in suspected hybrids with C. Friedrichsenii).
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