Erect, epiphytic herbs with approximate, linear, broadly truncate, strongly ancipitous, 1-leaved pseudobulbs 6-14 cm. long and 1-2.5 cm. wide, the bases enveloped in several imbricating, papery, usually conspicuously maculate sheaths. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute to acuminate, coriaceous, 12-30 cm. long and 3-5.5 cm. wide, contracted at the base into very short, conduplicate petioles. Inflorescences short, arching or pendulous, 2-to 3-flowered scapes produced from the bases of the pseudobulbs. Flowers large and conspicuous, very variable in color, most frequently with the sepals and petals reddish with lighter margins, the lip usually white on the outer surface, rarely red, the inner tube a deep rose-red, the reflexed margins of the mid-lobe often margined white. Sepals narrow, subequal, free, widely spreading, lanceolate to oblanceolate, acute, usually not twisted but sometimes with undulant margins, 4.5-6 cm. long and 0.6-1.0 cm. wide. Petals subequal to the sepals, spreading, oblanceolate, acute, 4-5.5 cm. long and 0.8-1.2 cm. wide, often with undulant margins. Lip tubular at the base, the apex obovate when spread out, 5-8 cm. long and 4-5 cm. wide, the narrow base adnate to the base of the column, the lateral lobes rounded and convolute forming a tube, the mid-lobe deeply emarginate, the lateral lobules spreading or recurved, with undulant margins, the disk without a prominent keel. Column terete, the margins of the apex projecting, forming an obscurely 3-lobed, fimbri-ate hood over the anther.
Home