Epiphytic, pseudo-bulbs ovate-oblong to cylindric, furrowed, as long as 4 to 6 cm and about 1 to 2 cm in diameter, attached to a stout rhizome few centimeters apart. Leaves 8 to 12 cm long and about 2 cm in width, oblong, acute, narrowed to the channelled petiole. Racemes from the base of the old pseudo-bulbs, shorter than the leaves, erect or slightly decurved. Peduncle stout and with several large imbricating sheaths. Flowers white with yellow blotched lip, also very fragrant. Sepals and petals pure white, the side lobes of the lip has two blotches of yellow margined with orange red and two united orbicular yellow blotch with orange red margins on the base. Sepals sub-equal, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, spreading. Petals, slightly longer than the sepals, much narrower, also tapering on both sides. Lip oblong, constricted about the middle, lateral lobes large, incurved, the edges serrulate; terminal lobe rotund to oblong, blunt, entire or very slightly notched at the apex, the disc with two ridges.
The Pursuit
The flowers of this species have got a very soothing fragrance. Not an uncommon species of the tropical forests. The unique shape of its pseudo-bulbs make it easily identifiable. I had photographed this species in bloom several times without much satisfaction. Last year it was decided to reshoot this flower in a much better way. My earlier interaction with this species made me well aware of its habitats and blooming days. Found a healthy plant from a small tree and waited for it to bloom. During the months of April and May this region of the Himalayas receive some heavy summer rains on few occasions. The summer rains are widely welcomed by the people of the region, as it fills the already dried streams and fields. Exactly on the day of my healthy plant’s blooming, the region received heavy rains. Watching the rains through my window I cursed myself for missing a wonderful opportunity this season too. By the time the rains stopped all those flowers in bloom were wet and with water drops attached. I knew those photographs will not be satisfactory. As the particular season is full of blooming activities each hour mattered for me. After a lot of thinking and planning I decided to spend one more day there to test my luck with the species. The next day was pretty sunny and I left home as early as sunrise in search of more flowers in bloom. Searched for an hour and found a few plants in bloom on several trees, but at 10 to 15 ft height. The trees were unbranched on their lower portion which denied a good seating posture for me to shoot. Collected some bamboos from the area, tied them together with small wooden logs in between to make a ladder like structure. Climbed up the tree with the help of that and found a few good flowers and shot some photographs of my imagination. The fragrance of the flowers was so soothing, it lingered along for a long time.