A terrestrial herb 3–6 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots and petals.. Tubers ellipsoid or ovoid, ±1.5 cm. long, 0.5–1 cm. in diameter, sparsely tomentose.. Stem erect, rather stout, leafy throughout its length.. Leaves 9–11, the lowest 1 or 2 reduced to sheaths, together with the sheath of the lowermost foliage leaf whitish with purplish-green reticulated veins, the middle leaves ± erect or suberect, rather stiff, linear or very narrowly lanceolate, acute, the largest 10–20 cm. long and 0.5–1.5 cm. broad, the upper leaves adpressed to the stem, ± imbricate, much smaller, lanceolate, acuminate, resembling the lower bracts but more herbaceous.. Inflorescence 7–15 cm. long, 5–6 cm. in diameter, rather loosely 6–25-flowered.. Bracts thin and chaffy, lanceolate, acuminate, 1.5–3 cm. long, often longer than the pedicel with ovary.. Flowers spreading, green or whitish-green; pedicel with ovary curved, 1.8–2.5 cm. long.. Dorsal sepal refiexed, narrowly elliptical, obtuse, convex, 7–8 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. broad; laterals deflexed, obliquely obovate or elliptical with the apiculum lateral, 9–11 mm. long, 5–7 mm. broad.. Petals bipartite nearly to the base; posterior (upper) lobe refiexed, linear or ligulate, ciliolate, 7–9.5 mm. long, ± 1 mm. broad; anterior lobe spreading, versatile, lanceolate, curved, acute, 12.5–16.5 mm. long, 3–3.5 mm. broad, glabrous.. Lip deflexed, tripartite nearly to the base; middle lobe linear, incurved, 12.5–16 mm. long, 0.5–1 mm. broad; side lobes lanceolate-linear, acute, 8.5–12.5 mm. long, about the same width as the middle lobe.. Spur ± incurved, twisted once or twice in the middle, apical half much swollen, 16.5–18.5 mm. long.. Anther 2–4 mm. high, loculi reclinate, canals porrect or incurved, 3–5 mm. long.. Stigmas porrect, suddenly widened at the apex, 3.5–5 mm. long.. Rostellum narrowly triangular, acute, nearly 2 mm. long.
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Lip deflexed, 3-lobed almost to base; mid-lobe 13–19 × 0.5–1 mm, the tip often curved back; side lobes 8.5–12.5 mm long, slightly narrower than mid-lobe; spur slightly incurved or parallel to pedicel and ovary, 15–18.5 mm long, twisted in middle, the apex swollen.
Petals 2-lobed almost to base; upper lobe 7–9.5 × c. 1 mm, linear, ciliolate, reflexed, the 2 lobes often crossing; lower lobes pendent, hinged, 13–19 × 2–3.5 cm, curved lanceolate, acute, glabrous.
Leaves 7–11, the lowermost 1–3 sheath-like, white with prominent dark green reticulate veining; middle ones suberect, the largest 7–20 × 0.5–1 cm, linear; the uppermost becoming bract-like.
Dorsal sepal reflexed, 6–8 × 2–3 mm, elliptic; lateral sepals reflexed, 8–11 × 4.5–7 mm, obliquely obovate with a lateral apiculum.
Inflorescence 8–15 × 4–6 cm, fairly laxly several-to many-flowered; bracts 16–30 mm long, slightly longer than pedicel and ovary.
Stigmatic arms 3.5–5 mm long, porrect, truncate at apex; rostellum mid-lobe c. 2 mm long, triangular.
Pedicel and ovary 16–25 cm long, spreading and slightly arched.
Tubers 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm, ellipsoid or ovoid.
Anther 2–4 mm high; canals 3–5 mm long.
Terrestrial herb 30–60 cm tall.
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