A terrestrial herb 60–150 cm. tall. Perennating organs above ground, pseudobulbous, cylindrical-conical, swollen at base, 5–10-noded, 16–25 cm. long, 1–1.5 cm. diameter; roots basal, 3 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 5–10, plicate, ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, 16–42 cm. long, 2.5–5.5 cm. wide, petiolate, lowermost sheathing. Inflorescence laxly many-flowered; peduncle stout, 10–12 mm. diameter, bearing several bracts, lowermost sheathing, upper ones lanceolate; rhachis 10–38 cm. long; bracts spreading, lanceolate, acuminate, 15–36 mm. long. Flowers not opening widely, subnutant; sepals green with a brownish apex; petals similar; lip white with a pink or purple band across base of mid-lobe and a greenish spur; pedicel and ovary 17–21 mm. long. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, acuminate, 20–24 mm. long, 3 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar, 18–24 mm. long, 3 mm. wide. Petals lanceolate, acuminate, 15–18 mm. long, 3 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed, 13–14 mm. long, 7.5–9 mm. wide; side lobes narrow, subacute; mid-lobe elliptic, obtuse to acute, 8 mm. long, 6.5 mm. wide, margins undulate; callus of 2–3 obscure ridges in basal half of mid-lobe; spur clavate, 5–7 mm. long, pointing backwards and slightly decurved. Column 5 mm. long, papillose at base; foot 1 mm. long. Fruit pendent, 23–30 mm. long.
In dense forest of Uapaca guineensis, Harungana madagascariensis, Maesopsis eminii etc. on red-brown sandy loam over ironstone; also in secondary forest; 1200–1300 m.
Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968
Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592
