A terrestrial herb 7–17 cm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers ovoid or elongate-ovoid, 1–2 cm. long, 5–8 mm. in diameter, ± tomentose.. Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.. Stem erect, slender, leafy along its length.. Leaves 3–5, the lowest sheath-like, the 2–3 middle ones spreading, ovate, elliptical or lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, up to 2–6 cm. long and 1–4.5 cm. broad, fleshy, upper 1–2 much smaller, resembling the bracts.. Inflorescence 2–4 cm. long, 1.5–2 cm. in diameter, ± densely several-to many-flowered; bracts soon reflexed, lanceolate, acute, the lower ± 1 cm. long.. Flowers half-spreading, sessile, greenish-white or creamy-yellow; ovary ± 5 mm. long.. Sepals and petals deflexed, 1-nerved, united with one another and with the lip in their basal third or quarter.. Intermediate sepal oblong or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, 4.5–6 mm. long, nearly 2 mm. broad; laterals obliquely oblanceolate-elliptical, subacute, equalling the intermediate but rather broader.. Petals narrowly lanceolate, acute or subacute, 4.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. broad.. Lip erect, very convex and hooded, with an acute apex, nearly 4 mm. long.. Spurs almost straight, broadly cylindrical, 3.5–6 mm. long, ± 2 mm. in diameter.. Column erect, the thick stalk shorter than the fertile apex, 2.5–3 mm. high; stigma transversely oblong, emarginate, 1.5 mm. broad, rostellum obscurely 3-lobed, the middle lobe broadly and very obtusely triangular, the side lobes very small.. Fig. 37, p. 213.
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Leaves 3–5; the lowermost leaves sheathing; the next 2–3 leaves spreading, 2.5–6 × 1.5–3 cm, ovate or lanceolate; the uppermost 1–2 leaves bract-like.
Sepals and petals spreading forwards, joined to each other in basal half or third and to lip in basal third or quarter.
Column 2.5–3 mm high; stigma transversely oblong, c. 1.5 mm wide; rostellum obscurely 3-lobed.
Median sepal 4.5–6 × 1.5–2 mm, oblong; lateral sepals similar but broader and oblique.
Flowers pale greenish-white, the bracts tinged purple, the stem also purple-brown.
Lip c. 4 mm long, very convex with a wide mouth (2.5 mm across), apex acute.
Dwarf terrestrial herb 7–17 cm high; tubers to 2 cm long, ovoid, tomentose.
Inflorescence 2.5–4 × 1–1.5 cm, fairly densely several to many-flowered.
Spurs 3.5–6 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter, straight, obtuse.
Petals 4.5 × 1–1.5 mm, lanceolate.
Bracts to 12 × 6 mm, spreading.
Ovary 6–7 mm long, papillose.
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