Glomera kanke P.Royen., Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:1979 (1979)- Type: Schodde 1766 (holotype, L)
Glomera flexilabrata P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:533 (1979)- Type : Schodde & Coode 51423 (isotype, K, L)
Glomera giluwensis P.Royen, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:540 (1979)- Type : vandenberg, katik & kairo 39781 (holotype, K)
Growth form Epiphyte, bushy, branched, up to 13 cm high. Rhizome ca. 0.5-1 mm in diameter. Roots filiform, flexible, glabrous. Stem cylindrical, erect, slender, proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 0.2-0.7 cm long. Leaf elliptic-ovate, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, spreading-patent, coriaceous, glabrous, scabrous above, smooth below, midrib grooved above, prominent below, margin thin, transparent, irregularly erose; apex rounded, apiculate; base narrowed; lamina 0.3-2 cm long, 0.1-0.37 cm wide; sheath cylindrical, compressed, slightly 2-crested, sparsely transversely rugose mainly in apical part, with scattered round warts in lower parts, slightly ribbed, 0.2-0.8 cm long, in older part of stem up to 1.5 cm long; apex without tooth, with glabrous margin. Inflorescences terminal, 4-7-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe ovate-orbicular, 3-nerved at base, 9-nerved in higher parts, with few indistinct warts outside, punctate, 0.40-1.6 cm long, 0.7-1 cm wide; floral bracts transparent, thin, broadly elliptic, 3-nerved at base, 7-nerved in higher parts, apex subulate-acuminate, 0.75-1.2 cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm wide. Flowers upright, glabrous, with peduncle 0.1 cm long, compressed. Median sepal elliptic, 3-nerved, with silver spot, apex obtuse, subulate-conoid, 0.5-0.6 cm long, 0.25 cm wide. Lateral sepals enclosed the spur, up to 2/3 connate along the lower margin, free part broadly triangular-ovate, 5-nerved, midrib crested on outside near tip only, 0.3 cm long, 0.3 cm wide, apex acute, subulate-conoid; mentum oblong-conoid, oblique, 0.35 cm long, 0.3 cm wide, apex broadly truncate-rounded. Petal spathulate or obovate, often oblique, sometimes lobed in apical half, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, apex obtuse, 0.5 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Lip adnate to the base of the column, free heart-shaped, 0.02 cm long, 0.02 cm wide, 5-nerved; epichile obtusely acuminate; hypochile spurred; spur obliquely oblong-conoid, 0.2-0.4 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Column stout, curved, 0.02 cm long, 0.015 cm wide; clinandrium not seen; stelidia ovate, 0.08-0.1 cm long, obtuse. Anther kidney-shaped, 0.15 cm long, 0.12 cm wide, 2-lobed, dorsally umbonate, retuse at either end, apical margin membranous; pollinia not seen; stigma not seen; viscidium not seen. Ovary narrowly ovoid-oblong, 3-sided, glabrous, 0.5 cm long. Capsule trigonous, ellipsoid, 0.6-0.7 cm long, 0.3 cm wide.
Distribution – Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Habitat and Ecology – Epiphyte in upper montane forest of Mt. Giluwe and Mt. Strong. Altitude 2500-3740 m. Flowering in January, April, May, June, July and September in the wild.
Notes - 1. Flowers white, cream or pale greenish cream with a lip with a red or pink tip. Anther purple brown.
2. The epithet kanke refers to the local name of the species in the Mendi area.
3. Specimen observed: Schodde 1766 (L0061331); Vandenberg 39781 (G.giluwensis K 00810799); Stevens&Codde 51423 (G. flexilabrata L 0056414); ANU 16031 (G. lacireperta L 0064500).