Phaius occidentalis Schltr.

Erect glabrous herb, all parts turning dull blue-green when damaged or dried, with scape up to 70 cm. high, arising from apex of tuber.. Roots velamen-covered, arising from all parts of tuber; tubers slightly thickened to form a pseudobulb-like structure bearing the scape and up to 6 leaves in a false rosette.. Stem up to 60 cm. high, bearing up to 5 evenly spaced cataphylls ± sheathing upper part of stem, free to base in lower part, acuminate or acute, 3–4 cm. long.. Leaves erect or spreading, elliptic-lanceolate to obovate, acuminate, ± petiolate, with broad persistent bases, up to 35 cm. long and 6 cm. broad, dull purplish green.. Inflorescences up to 50 cm. long, with 3–6 flowers clustered towards apex; peduncle up to 45 cm. long; rhachis up to 8 cm. long; bracts oblong-lanceolate, slightly spathulate, up to 2.3 cm. long and 1 cm. broad, foliaceous.. Flowers thick-textured, not opening widely, basically white but very easily and rapidly turning blue-green when damaged, lip sparsely spotted brown at base, disc yellow.. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, obtuse, cucullate at apex, up to 3 cm. long and 1 cm. broad, foliaceous. Lateral sepals elliptic-lanceolate, ± asymmetrical, cucullate at apex, up to 3 cm. long and 0.8 cm. broad.. Petals elliptic-lanceolate, slightly spathulate, obtuse, very slightly cucullate, up to 2.8 cm. long and 0.8 cm. broad.. Lip 3-lobed, slightly saccate at base, up to 2.8 cm. long, 1.6 cm. broad; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe oblong, acute, up to 1 cm. long, with 3 contiguous raised hairy keels along entire length, extending to base of lip.. Column slightly hairy on back and at base, 1 cm. long, with very small column-foot; rostellum present.. Capsule pilose.. Fig. 58.