Crimson Spider-orchid  |  

The Crimson Spider-orchid is a terrestrial herb with a hairy, dark red flowering stem that grows to 30 cm in height. The leaves of the species are narrow-lanceolate, are sparsely hairy and grow to 16 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width. Flowers are deep crimson or purplish-red colour, 8 cm across, with a spidery shape and have a strong fragrance that has been described as being like that of a hot motor. The labellum is ovate, growing to 0.5-1.0 cm in length, with poorly differentiated lobes that are dark red. Lateral lobes of the structure are fringed with acute, curving marginal teeth that grow to 0.3 cm in length and end in acute curving tips, and the midlobe has short blunt teeth. Central callistalks are short, with swelling to broadening heads that are in 4-6 rows but do not conspicuously overlap. Sepals and lateral petals grow to approximately 4.5 cm in length, are dark red and have dark and hairy filamentous tails that grow up to half the length of the segments. The tails of lateral petals and sepals are drooping or obliquely deflexed.