Glomera nigricans (P.Royen) J.M.H. Shaw, Alp. Fl. New Guinea 2:47 (1979) – Type: van Balgooy 627 (holotype, L, A)
Growth form Epiphyte or terrestrial, erect, much branched, broom-like, densely bushy, branches slightly pendulous at tip, up to 35 cm long. Rhizome 2-3 mm in diameter. Root filiform, flexible, glabrous, up to 5 cm long. Stem branched, cylindric, glabrous, internodes 0.3-2.2 cm long. Leaf lanceolate-linear, sometimes slightly ovate or obovate, subcoriaceous, erect, glabrous, 5-nerved, midrib grooved above, prominent below, lateral nerves 2 on either side of midrib, prominent on underside only, margin membranous; apex unequally 2-lobed, both lobes obtuse; lamina 0.7-2.5 cm long, 0.1-0.2 cm wide; sheath tight, tubular, rather densely warty mainly on the ribs, many-ribbed; apex toothed, with bristled margin, bristles 0.1-0.3 cm long, scattered, papillate. Inflorescences terminal, one-flowered, when young enveloped by a spathe. Spathe widely obovoid-tubular, transparent, finely papillate on outside, with brown dots, 1-1.2 cm long, 0.4-0.6 cm wide, 5-nerved, apex acute, midrib crested at tip; floral bracts obovoid, glabrous, thin, transparent, with brown dots, 1.3 cm long, 0.78 cm wide, thinly 5-nerved, apex acute. Flower upright, glabrous. Median sepal oblong-ovate, glabrous, 3-nerved at base, 5-7 nerved in higher parts, 1.2-1.4 cm long, 0.4-0.5 cm wide, with silver dots; apex apiculate. Lateral sepal slightly obliquely oblong-elliptic, 3-nerved at base, 5-7-nerved in higher parts, 1.2-1.4 cm long, 0.35-0.4 cm wide, with silver dots; apex rounded, apiculate; base obliquely widened. Petals broadly elliptic, 3-nerved at base, 5-nerved in higher parts, glabrous, 1.1-1.2 cm long, 0.35-0.4 cm wide, 3-nerved, with silver spots; apex rounded, obtuse. Lip triangular, adnate to the base of the column, 0.55-0.6 cm long, 0.6-0.8 cm wide; epichile obtuse, with brown glands on both sides in a narrow strip along the apical part, 5-nerved, with silver dots; hypochile spurred; spur cylindrical, sigmoid, glabrous, 1.1-1.2 cm long, flattened and truncate at tip, broadly shallowly grooved above with a raised mid-rib in the groove. Column curved, without column foot, 0.3 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; clinandrium dentate-crenulate. Anther broadly ellipsoid, apex truncate-retuse, base subtruncate, emarginated, connective umbonate, 0.12 cm long, 0.2 cm wide; pollinia 4, pear-shaped, 0.06 cm long. Ovary oblong-clavate, glabrous, 3-ribbed, each rib double one, 1.1-1.3 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Capsule ellipsoid, 1.2 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, 3-ribbed, glabrous.
Distribution –Papua New Guinea.
Habitat and Ecology – Terrestrial in upper montane forest in exposed positions on Imbuka Ridge. Altitude 3353-3600 m. Flowering in May and June in the wild.
Notes - 1. Flowers light green with a yellow or green ornamentation on the tip of the lip. Leaf sheaths entirely black. Capsules dark brown.
2. The epithet nigricans refers to the black color or the leaf sheaths.
3. Specimen observed: L0061276.