Eulophia zollingeri

Eulophia zollingeri (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm., Orchid. Java (1905) 228

Basionym: Cyrtopera zollingeri

Rhizome subterranean, with globose, fist-sized pseudobulbs, roots thick. Leaves absent. Inflorescences usually two, racemose, erect, 60 cm long, glabrous, 0.75 cm diam., peduncle-scales tubular; rachis 17 cm long, narrowing towards the apex, laxly many-flowered. Floral bracts subulate, patent, 2.4 cm long. Flowers resupinated, 2.5 cm across, patent or nutant, turned to all sides, glabrous. Median sepal lanceolate, 1.6 by 0.4 cm, apex pointed. Lateral sepals lanceolate, 1.6 by 0.4 cm, decurrent on the column-foot, apex pointed. Petals oblong-spathulate, 1.5 by 0.55 cm, parellel with the median sepal, apex acute. Lip 3-lobed, forming a short obtuse basal sac with the column-foot, inside with raised papillose ribs, of which two in the centre of the lip terminate in two flattened calli; lateral lobes short, rounded; mid-lobe porrect, subacute, concave. Column slightly curved, semiterete, narrowly marginate, glabrous; column-foot short; stigma quadratic, rostellum abbreviated.Pollinia triangular, grooved; viscidium ovate, slightly dilated at the base. (After Smith, 1905, as Eulophia macrorhiza).

Colours: Sepals and petals red-brown, lip at the base green, towards the apex purple. Column pale yellow.

Habitat: Terrestrial in grassland.

Flowering time in the wild: October.

Distribution: Tropical continental Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Moluccas, New Guinea, the Philippines.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 293-159M.JPG

Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, probably almost impossible to cultivate due to its obligate mycotrophy.