A terrestrial herb 3.5–5 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers ovoid or ellipsoid, 2.5–3.5 cm. long, 1–2 cm. in diameter, sparsely tomentose.. Stem erect, rather stout, leafy throughout its length.. Leaves 8–10, the lowermost 1–3 reduced to sheaths, the remainder erect and ± adpressed to and clasping the stem, lanceolate, acute, the largest 6–7 cm. long, the uppermost similar to the bracts.. Inflorescence 8–18 cm. long, 3.5–6 cm. in diameter, rather loosely 3–8-fl.owered.. Bracts leafy, lanceolate, 2–4 cm. long, shorter than the pedicel with ovary.. Flowers suberect, white, fragrant; pedicel with ovary 3.5–4.5 cm. long, slightly curved.. Dorsal sepal erect, very convex, broadly ovate, subacute, 9–13 mm. long, 6–8 mm. broad; laterals deflexed, obliquely semi-ovate, acute or acuminate, 12–14 mm. long, 5 mm. broad.. Petals bipartite nearly to the base; posterior (upper) lobe erect, adherent to the dorsal sepal, semi-ovate or lanceolate-ligulate, curved, 9–11.5 mm. long, 3–4.5 mm. broad; anterior lobe deflexed, curved-ligulate, obtuse, 9–12.5 mm. long, 2–3 mm. broad.. Lip projecting forwards, 3-lobed from an undivided base 2–5 mm. long; middle lobe ligulate or lanceolate-ligulate, obtuse, 9–14 mm. long, 2–4.5 mm. broad; side lobes divergent, similar to the middle lobe but i 2 mm. shorter and somewhat narrower.. Spur hanging, slender, 10–14 cm. long, hidden among the bracts.. Anther erect, apiculate, 5–6 mm. high, canals very short, incurved, less than 1 mm. long.. Stigmas porrect, much thickened with a broad truncate apex, 3–4 mm. long.. Rostellum narrowly triangular, acute, ± 2.5 mm. high.. Fig. 22, p. 118.
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