Robust epiphyte. Pseudobulbs spindle-shaped, to 30 cm long. Leaves 5?7, oblong, to 60 cm long, to 12 cm wide. Flowers 5?10, males and females on same inflorescences; autumn to winter. Male flowers to 4.5 cm long, unpleasantly fragrant, yellow-green with purplish spots. Sepals and petals incurved, concave. Labellum deeply concave, obscurely 3-lobed, margins smooth, 3-toothed at tip. Female flowers similar to males.

Tropical S America and Trinidad.

C. oerstedii Rchb. f. from C and S America is a robust epiphyte with long oblanceolate leaves, large flowers with incurved sepals and petals and a deeply concave labellum with fringed margins. Male and female flowers are produced on separate inflorescences, the males more common. Syn. C. maculatum Kunth.

Source: Jeanes, J. (2005). Orchidaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.