Polystachya affinis Lindl.

A suberect to pendent epiphytic plant, to 50 cm. long.. Pseudobulbs subspherical, dorso-ventrally compressed, prostrate on the substrate, conspicuously 1-noded, 1–4.8 cm. in diameter, 2–3-leaved at the apex.. Leaves petiolate, oblanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, 9–28 cm. long, 2.6–6 cm. wide, acute to shortly acuminate; petiole subcylindrical, articulated at or above middle, 5–14 cm. long.. Inflorescence erect, suberect or pendulous, unbranched or branched, laxly many-flowered, 6–40 cm. long; peduncle ± covered with imbricating scarious acute sheaths; rhachis terete, densely pubescent; branches suberect, 1–few, 3–11 cm. long; bracts papery, ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, densely pubescent, 6–14 mm. long.. Flowers white, yellow or mustard-yellow, commonly marked with brown or red-brown, fragrant, pubescent on outer surface.. Dorsal sepal elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 6.5–7 mm. long, 2.7–4 mm. wide, rounded; lateral sepals obliquely triangular-ovate, 6.5–8 mm. long, 4.5–6 mm. wide, acute; mentum 4.3–5.8 mm. high.. Petals oblanceolate, 5.7–6.5 mm. long, 1.6–2.2 mm. wide, truncate.. Lip recurved, obscurely 3-lobed, 6.3–7.3 mm. long, 4.7–5.7 mm. wide; side lobes erect, narrowly oblong; mid-lobe oblong-ovate to semirotund, 2.2–2.8 mm. long, 2.6–3.6 mm. wide, subacute to rounded; disc with a central fleshy ridge, puberulent.. Column short, stout, semiterete, 1 mm. long.. Fig. 85.