A terrestrial herb 4–10 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers ellipsoid to irregularly fusiform, 2–5.5 cm. long, 6–22 mm. in diameter, densely tomentose.. Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.. Sterile stem to 7 cm. high, 3–4-leaved; 1–2 lower leaves sheath-like, obtuse, the upper leaves lanceolate, oblanceolate or lanceolate-elliptical, often stalked, up to 12–27 cm. long and 3–6 cm. broad.. Fertile stem erect, slender to stout, covered by sheathing leaves; sheaths 10–12, lanceolate, acute, up to 6–10 cm. long and 2–3 cm. broad, the uppermost often reflexed.. Inflorescence cylindrical, 16–45 cm. long, 2.5–3 cm. in diameter, rather densely many-flowered; bracts reflexed, lanceolate, acute, 6–27 mm. long.. Flowers sessile, curved outwards, green or whitish, tinged red or purple; ovary 6–8 mm. long.. Sepals and petals decurved, united to one another and to the lip in their lower half.. Intermediate sepal oblanceolate-elliptical, rounded, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, ± 1 mm. broad, ciliolate; laterals obliquely broadly oblanceolate, obtuse, 5–5.5 mm. long, ± 2 mm. broad.. Petals oblanceolate, rounded, 4–5 mm. long, 0.5 mm. broad, ciliolate.. Lip ellipsoid, hooded, the apex shortly reflexed, ± 6 mm. long.. Spurs diverging and curved upwards rather like a snail’s horns, 8–11 mm. long, tapering.. Column curved, ± 4 mm. high; stigma almost orbicular, ±1.5 mm. high and broad, rostellum porrect, 3-lobed, the side lobes short, triangular, the middle lobe much longer, broadly spoon-shaped from a narrow base.
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Lip thick-textured with a narrow mouth, 5–7 mm long, ellipsoid, forming a hood; spurs 8–11 mm long curving upwards and diverging from each other.
Column c. 4 mm high; stigma 1.5 × 1.5 mm; rostellum mid-lobe spoon-shaped from a narrow base, much longer than side lobes.
Sterile shoot 3–4-leaved; the lowermost 1–2 leaves sheathing; upper leaves 12–27 × 3–6 cm, elliptic or lanceolate.
Bracts green with purple edge, reflexed, to 30 mm long at base of inflorescence, lanceolate, acute.
Sepals and petals curled under, joined for about half their length to each other and lip.
Terrestrial herb 40–100 cm high; tubers to 5.5 cm long, globose, ellipsoid or fusiform.
Sepals 4.5–5.5 × 1–2 mm, oblanceolate, obtuse, the median narrower than the laterals.
Flowers lilac with darker spurs or greenish-white; rhachis and ovary purple.
Inflorescence 12–48 × 2.5–5 cm, cylindrical, densely many-flowered.
Flowering stem with c. 10 sheathing leaves up to 10 cm long.
Petals 4–5 × 0.5 mm, ciliolate.
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