Plants terrestrial, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs ovoid, 2.5-6 × 1.5-2.5 cm, enclosed in leaf bases. Leaves 3-5, deep green, lorate, 45-110(-200) × (1.5-)2-3 cm, thinly leathery, articulate 3.5-7 cm from base. Inflorescence arising from base of pseudobulb, erect, somewhat robust, (40-)50-90 cm, usually slightly longer than leaves; rachis 10-20-or more flowered; floral bracts 4-8 mm and mostly less than 1/2 length of ovary, though basal bract more than 10 mm. Flowers usually strongly fragrant, variable in color, usually dark purple or purplish brown with a paler lip; pedicel and ovary 20-25 mm. Sepals narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, 22-35 × 5-7 mm, apex acute. Petals nearly narrowly ovate, 20-27 × 6-10 mm, apex acute; lip ovate-oblong, 17-25(-30) mm, not fused to basal margins of column, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, loosely clasping column; mid-lobe recurved, oblong-ovate, ca. 14 × 10 mm, margin slightly undulate; disk minutely papillate-pubescent, with 2 longitudinal lamellae extending from near base of lip to base of mid-lobe; lamellae converging in their apical half and forming a short tube. Column slightly arcuate, 12-15 mm, narrowly winged; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, broadly ovoid. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, 60-70 × 15-20 mm. Fl. (Oct-)Nov-Mar, fr. Dec-May. 2n = 40.
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An orchid. It grows in the soil. The false bulbs are oval and 3-6 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They are enclosed in the leaf bases. There are 3-5 leaves. They are deep green and 45-110 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They bend 4-7 cm from the base. The flowering shoot arises from the base of the false bulb. It is 50-90 cm long. There are 10-20 flowers. They have a scent. They vary in colour but are usually dark purple and paler at the lip.
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