| Field notes | Terrestial herb in clump (to 10 cm between neighbouring shoots). Leafy shoot to 4.7 m long. Base of leafy shoot to 5.3 cm diam., red when young-dark brown when old. Sheath green. Ligule to 10 mm long, emarginate, pale green. Petiole to 8 mm long. Lamina to 57 x 8.5 cm, dark green, midrib pale green. Peduncle subterranean, 13-16 cm long, scales cream to pale pink, upper dead and dark brown. Spike to 6 x 6 cm, bracts caducous, dark brown; 2 flowers open at a time, simultaneously fruiting at the base. fertile bract pale pink, short lasting, brown. Bracteole pale pink, transparent. Calyx pale pink, transparent. Corolla pale yellow. Labellum 5-lobed, pale yellow; centre yellow with red stripes and dots. Staminoides red. Stamen cream, crest pale yellow. Stigma white. Fruit 3 x 2.5 cm, pedicel 12 mm long, spiny, purple (looks like a rambutan, Nephelium). Taste of centre of leafy shoot base: strongly aromatic. |
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