A terrestrial herb 2.5–6 dm. high, for the most part glabrous.. Tubers ellipsoid, ovoid or elongate-ovoid, 1.5–4 cm. long, 1–2 cm. in diameter, ± tomentose.. Roots slender, flexuous, sparsely pubescent.. Sterile stem up to 7 cm. long, 3–5-leaved; lowest 2–3 leaves sheath-like, subacute or obtuse, the upper 1–2 lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate-elliptical, sometimes with a distinct narrow stalk, up to 7–20 cm. long and 1.5–3.7 cm. broad.. Fertile stem slender to rather stout, partly covered by sheathing leaves; sheaths 5–9, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute, up to 3.5–8 cm. long and 1–3 cm. broad, decreasing in size upwards.. Inflorescence ± cylindrical, 6–15 cm. long, 3.5–5 cm. in diameter, rather loosely 7–15(–20)-flowered; bracts soon reflexed, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, acute, 1.5–4 cm. long.. Flowers curved outwards, white, rarely spotted mauve, apex of spur green, fragrant; pedicel with ovary curved, 1–1.5 cm. long, sometimes with small red spots.. Sepals and petals deflexed, united to one another and to the lip in their basal fourth or fifth.. Intermediate sepal oblong-elliptical, rounded at apex, 10–13 mm. long, ± 3 mm. broad; laterals obliquely elliptical-oblong, rounded, 10–15 mm. long, 2.5–5 mm. broad.. Petals similar to the intermediate sepal but a little broader, apical margins ciliolate to almost shortly lacerate; all tepals 3-veined.. Lip very convex and hooded with the apex shortly recurved, hairy inside towards the apex, 10–15.5 mm. long and about the same in breadth when spread out.. Spurs often diverging markedly from the pedicels, very slender, 4–7 cm. long, scarcely 2 mm. in diameter.. Column erect, 7.5–10 mm. high, the somewhat curved stalk a little longer than the fertile part; anther-loculi pendent, ellipsoid; stigma erect, transversely elliptical and slightly emarginate, 2–4 mm. tall, 4–6 mm. broad, rostellum porrect, ± 3 mm. long, 3-lobed, the side lobes short, triangular, the middle lobe much longer, broadly spoon-shaped from a narrow base, the apex upcurved.
More
Column 7.5–10 mm high; stigma 2–4 × 4–6 mm; rostellum c. 3 mm long, the mid-lobe spoon-shaped from a narrow base with the apex recurved, the side lobes much shorter, triangular.
Sterile shoot 3–5-leaved, at various stages of development at flowering time; lowermost 2–3 leaves sheath-like, upper leaves up to 20 × 3.5 cm, lanceolate.
Lip 10–15 mm long and of similar width when spread out, very convex and hooded with the apex recurved, wide-mouthed, hairy inside towards apex.
An orchid that grows in the soil. It is a herb that grows 30-70 cm high. The tubers are 2-4 cm long by 1-2 cm wide.
Median sepal 10–13 × 1.5–3 mm, oblong, rounded at apex; lateral sepals slightly longer and wider, oblique.
Petals similar to median sepal but usually slightly wider and with the margin ciliolate.
Flowering stem with 5–8 sheathing leaves, sometimes imbricate, up to 8 cm long.
Sepals and petals deflexed, joined to each other and lip in basal quarter.
Flowers white, the spurs green-tinged, with a strong, hyacinth-like scent.
Terrestrial herb 30–70 cm high; tubers 1.5–4 × 1–2 cm, ovoid, tomentose.
Bracts pinkish-brown, c. 30 mm long at base of inflorescence, reflexed.
Inflorescence 8–14 × 3–5 cm, laxly up to 20-flowered.
Spurs 4.5–7.5 cm long, slender, pendent.
Ovary and pedicel 10–15 mm long, curved.
Home
