Glomera distichifolia Ormerod, Austral. Orchid Rev. 61(6):37 (1996)- Type : Hunt RSS 2961 (holotype, K; isotype L)
Growth form Epiphyte, 10-40 cm long. Rhizome not seen. Roots filiform, long, flexible, glabrous. Stem slender, sparsely branching, laxly-subdensely leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, 0.1-0.2 cm in diameter, internodes 1-2 cm long. Leaf patent, lanceolate, coriaceous, punctate, many-nerved, 4 nerves prominent below; apex unequal 2-lobed, shorter lobe acute, longer lobe obtuse; lamina 1.7-4.5 cm long, 0.3-0.9 cm wide; sheath tubular, warty; apex toothed, with glabrous margin. Inflorescences terminal, globose, many-flowered, 1-2 cm in diameter, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe tubular, broadly ovate, many-nerved, with brown dots, apex apiculate, 0.95 cm long, 0.75-0.8 cm wide; floral bracts thin, transparent, ovate, 3-nerved, with silver dots, 0.85 cm long, 0.55 cm wide. Flowers upright, glabrous. Median sepal oblong, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in the upper part, apex obtuse, 0.9-1 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm wide. Lateral sepals ovate-oblong, 7-nerved, with silver dots, apex subacute, base connate in basal half, enclosing the spur, 1 cm long, 0.45 cm wide. Petal narrowly elliptic, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in the upper part, apex obtuse, 0.8 cm long, 0.3-0.35 cm wide. Lip subquadrate, with silver dots, 7-nerved, 0.15-0.25 cm long, 0.25-0.35 cm wide; epichile obtuse, without brown glands; hypochile spurred; spur oblongoid, apex obtuse, 0.25-0.35 cm long, 0.15-0.2 cm in diameter. Column incurved, 0.2-0.25 cm long, each side with a quadrate, apically denticulate wing; clinandrium lobed, apex obtuse; stelidia not seen. Anther broadly cucullate, obtusely umbonate, glabrous, 0.1 cm long, 0.15 cm wide; rostellum not seen; stigma not seen; pollinia not seen ; viscidium absent. Ovary not seen. Capsule not seen.
Distribution –Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Habitat and Ecology - Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2000 m. Flowering in October in the wild.
Notes - 1. Flowers white with a rose colored tip of the lip. Anther maroon.
2. The epithet distichifolia refers to the distichous arrangement of the leaves (=two rows on each side of the rhizome.)
3. Specimen observed: L 0061324 (isotype).