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Tuberous rhizome horizontal, ovoid, composed of many internodes, up to 5 cm. long and 3.5 cm. broad.. Flowering scape to 60 cm., hollow, fleshy, brownish at base, almost white towards apex.. Inflorescence up to 20 cm. long, many-flowered; bracts ovate, up to 1.5 cm. long.. Flowers creamy white to dull dirty pink, with small dark purple or dull crimson spots.. Tepals not spreading.. Sepals lanceolate, acute, ± 1 cm. long.. Petals similar but slightly shorter than sepals.. Lip ± as long as tepals, broadly ovate, sides raised at base, margins ± irregular, with pair of minutely warted crests reaching from base to near apex.. Spur broad, 4 mm. long, pointing backwards below the ovary.. Column very short; anther larger than column; stigma at base of column; ovary conspicuous.. Embryo of seeds with 8 cells only.. Fig. 42.
Rhizome fleshy, horizontal in soil. Flower stem 200–600 mm long, dull yellow, nodding when in bud, upright when flowering. Flowers numerous, pendulous, 10–12 mm long, cream, pale yellowish or pinkish, each with a conspicuous plump ovary. Sepals and petals 10–12 mm long, pointed, somewhat fleshy, not expanding widely. Dorsal sepal and petals fused at base. Labellum 11–14 × 5 mm, ovate, often with red spots; base with a deep spur directed towards the ovary. Callus consisting of a central raised plate and irregular rows of numerous small calli.
Lip c. 10 × 5 mm, ovate, with 2 verrucose crests running along its length; spur blunt, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm.
Leafless, saprophytic herb; tuberous rhizome up to 5 × 3.5 cm, ovoid, horizontal, villous, spongy.
Stem 18–60 cm tall, hollow, pinkish-white with red streaks, with c. 6 bract-like cataphylls.
Flowers drooping, not opening wide, off-white to dull pink, with purple or dull red spots.
Pedicel 7 mm long, ovary 4 mm long at anthesis, soon enlarging.
Inflorescence 12–20 cm long, laxly several-to many-flowered.
Column shorter than anther; stigma at base of column.
Sepals and petals 9–12 × c. 2 mm, lanceolate, acute.
Bracts 12–15 mm long, ovate.
