| Field notes | Terrestial herb in dense clump (to 6 cm between neighbouring shoots). Rhizome lifted by red stilt-roots to 15 cm above ground. Leafy shoot to 1.4 m long; base to 3 cm diam., pale red; sheath brownish to pale green, ligule to 21 mm long, bilobed, brown, pubescent. Lamina to 44 x 10.5 cm, dark green, purple beneath. Inflorescence to 10 cm long. Peduncle to 5 cm long. Spike 3.5-6 x 3.5-5.5 cm. Bracts red, drying brown. Fertile bract cream, pale brown at base, apex red, spiny mucronate. Bracteole transparent pale pink. Corolla tube and staminal tube white. Corolla lobes plae pink. Labellum pink. Taste of lower leafy shoot centre: mild. Material in spirit. DNA sampled. |