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Eulophia venosa (F.Muell.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 6: 300 (1873).
Dipodium venosum F.Muell., Fragm. 1: 61-62 (1858); Graphorkis venosa (F.Muell.) Kuntze, Rev. gen. pl. 2: 622 (1891). Type: In pratis dumosis prope Providence Hill et Macadam Range, [Fitzmaurice River], Oct. 1855, F. Mueller s.n. (holo K; iso K-LINDL).
Eulophia agrostophylla F.M.Bailey, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 11: 16 (1895). Type: On sandy land in shady localities of the Mackay district, L.J. Nugent 1 (holo BRI).
Occurs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia; in the northern parts of Northern Territory; in Queensland on Cape Tribulation, at Yarrabah near Cairns and near Mackay.
Altitude: 10-300 m.
Terrestrial herb with slender habit. Rhizome tuberous, irregular, up to 100 mm long, fleshy. Leaf bearing stem slender, 15-25 cm long, separate from inflorescence. Leaves 1-2, erect, apical, sessile; lamina narrowly lanceolate, 20-40 cm x 2-2.5 cm, dark green, pleated, apex acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, 400-800 mm tall, from rhizome, wiry; pedicels 20-24 mm long, including ovary. Flowers 6-20, resupinate, porrect, star-shaped, 15-20 mm x 18-25 mm, pale green or yellowish with purple stripes and markings. Dorsal sepal obliquely erect, narrowly triangular, 12-15 mm x 4-4.5 mm. Lateral sepals free, widely divergent, horizontal, narrowly triangular, 11-15 mm x 4.5-5 mm, bases fused to column foot, apices often twisted, acuminate. Petals incurved or spreading, asymmetric, elliptic, 9-12 mm x 6 mm. Labellum 11-15 mm x 10-11 mm, with prominent deep red or purple veins, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect; midlobe decurved, undulate, apex shallowly emarginate. Column curved forwards, 6-8 mm long. Column foot 2-3 mm long, at right-angles to column. Capsules pendulous, dehiscent.
Occurs in open woodlands, grassy forests and on rainforest margins. The plants are deciduous in drought years, and will shed leaves early to reduce stress. It grows in areas which frequently experience fires. Its leaves are very similar to those of E. fitzalanii and Pachystoma pubescens.
Highly localised.
Flowering period: July-November.
