A terrestrial herb 4 dm. to 1 m. high.. Tubers elongate-ovoid, ± 4 cm. long and 1 cm. in diameter, ± tomentose.. Stem erect, rather stout to stout, leafy throughout its length.. Leaves 9–15, the lowermost often reduced to a sheath, the 2–5 middle ones ± spreading, lanceolate, elliptical-lanceolate or oblong-elliptical, acute, the largest 8–25 cm. long and 2–5 cm. broad, the upper ones smaller, ± adpressed to the stem, lanceolate, acuminate, similar to the lower bracts.. Inflorescence 10–45 cm. long, 4.5–6.5 cm. in diameter, rather closely 15-to many-flowered; rhachis with scattered hairs.. Bracts rather thin and chaffy, lanceolate, acuminate, 1.5–3.8 cm. long, the lower ones equalling the pedicel with ovary, sparsely hairy, often with denticulate margins.. Flowers half-erect or curved outwards, green with whitish centre; pedicel with ovary nearly straight, 2.5–3.5 cm. long, the ovary sometimes sparsely hairy.. Dorsal sepal erect, convex, narrowly elliptical, obtuse, 6–7 mm. long, 2.5–4 mm. broad; laterals deflexed, obliquely semi-orbicular, acute, 8–10 mm. long, 4.5–6.5 mm. broad; all sepals with short scattered hairs on the outer surface.. Petals bipartite nearly to the base; posterior (upper) lobe erect or incurved, often ± adherent to the dorsal sepal, linear or oblanceolate-linear, acute, 6–7.5 mm. long, 1–2 mm. broad, ciliolate and puberulous; anterior lobe spreading forwards, curved-lanceolate, acute, 9—11 mm. long, 1.5–3 mm. broad, puberulous especially towards the base.. Lip deflexed, tripartite nearly to the base; middle lobe incurved towards the apex, linear, 10.5–12.5 mm. long, ± 1 mm. broad; side lobes linear, 5-8.5 mm. long, ± 0.5 mm. broad.. Spur parallel to the ovary or somewhat incurved, swollen in the apical half, ± 2.5 cm. long.. Anther ± 3 mm. high, loculi reclinate, canals slightly upcurved, nearly 3 mm. long.. Stigmas porrect, rather stout, apices swollen and truncate, 2.5–5 mm. long.. Rostellum linear, subacute or obtuse, 2–3 mm. high, projecting above the anther-loculi.. Fig. 18, p. 104.
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