Glomera palustris J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 2(2):3 (1911)- Type: de Kock 72 (holotype, BO; isotype L)
Growth form Terrestrial. Rhizome ca. 8-9 mm in diameter. Roots filiform, flexible, glabrous. Stem cylindrical, slightly compressed, proliferously leafed, completely covered by leaf sheaths, internodes 2.8-3 cm long. Leaf lanceolate, erect, crowded, obtusely concave, below obtusely convex, margin above minutely cartilaginous crenulate, above minutely transversely warty, punctate, carnose, coriaceous, rigid; apex unequal 2-lobed, both lobes obtuse; base half-twisted; lamina 7.5-7.75 cm long, up to 1.3 cm wide; sheath surpassing internodes, tubular, warty, punctate; apex without tooth, notched, with glabrous margin. Inflorescences terminal, many-flowered, nodding, 2.5 cm in diameter, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe ovate to orbicular, strongly concave above, keeled, finely punctate, apex acuminate, up to 2.3 cm long; floral bracts transparent, thin, subovate to lanceolate, apex long acuminate, narrowly obtuse or acute, 1.6-1.8 cm long, 0.5-0.7 cm wide. Flowers upright, glabrous, 0.9 cm long, 0.77 cm wide, sepals and petals in basal part parallel, apex recurved, sepals especially at the base warty outside. Median sepal oblong, at base concave, above convex, 3-nerved, apex obtuse, 0.75 cm long, 0.34 cm wide. Lateral sepals clasping the spur, obliquely oblong-triangular, at base 0.48 cm connate, 5-nerved, apex acute, subulate-apiculate, 0.73 cm long, to the apex of the mentum 0.83 cm long, 0.4 cm wide; mentum pointing backward, rounded, laterally compressed, 0.15 cm long, 0.25 cm wide. Petal obliquely oblong, in basal part concave, above convex, 3-nerved, apex obtuse, minutely apiculate, 0.67 cm long, 0.3 cm wide. Lip adnate to the base of the column, entire, to the tip of the spur 0.55 cm long, up to the apex of the ovary 0.48 cm long, quadrangular, recurved, above inside with small longitudinal rib, glabrous, 0.34 cm long, 0.3 cm wide; epichile rounded-truncate, obtusely apiculate, at base transversely thickened; hypochile spurred; spur saccate, apex obliquely rounded, laterally compressed, up to the apex of the ovary 0.2 cm long, in front 0.34 cm long, at the base 0.25 cm high. Column curved, dorsally convex, 0.28 cm long; column foot present; clinandrium on either side notched, denticulate, apex filament triangular; stelidia oblong, sometimes bidentate. Anther cucullate, orbicular, apex retuse, membranous-marginate, base strongly conical-raised; pollinia not seen; rostellum broad, shortly bilobed; stigma cup-shaped, margin strongly elongated, narrow, incurved, together with rostellum forming a quadrangular; viscidium not seen. Ovary clavate, 3-ribbed, glabrous, 0.6 cm long. Capsule not seen.
Distribution – Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Habitat and Ecology - Epiphyte in upper montane forest of Mt. Wilhelm. Altitude 1650-3450 m. Flowering in January, March, June and October in the wild.
Notes - 1. Flowers white with an orange lip.
2. The epithet palustris refers to the streambed forest habitat where the species can be found (palustre means relative to swamps, or found growing in wet areas).
3. Specimen observed: de Kock 72.