Epiblastus auriculatus Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 241
Type: Schlechter 17882; 18065; 18151 (B, lost)
Epiphytic, pendent, to 50 cm long. Rhizome elongated, tightly connate with the pseudobulbs, hidden. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs cylindrical, slightly compressed, 4.5-7 cm long, when dried 0.3-0.4 cm diam., 1-leaved, superposed, young shoots arising below the apex of the mature ones. Leaves linear or linear-ligulate, acute, 12-26 cm long, near the middle 1-1.3 cm wide. Inflorescences fascicled, 8-12; peduncle filiform, slender, glabrous, to 6 cm long, 1-flowered. Floral bract minute, scale-like, apiculate. Flowers glabrous. Sepals ovate, subacute, 0.85 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, dilated at the base along the front margin. Petal obliquely ligulate-lanceolate, subacute, glabrous, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base shortly clawed, subcordate-auriculate, broadly ovate, rather obtuse, in the middle with two concavities and two transverse thickenings, as long as the petals, near the middle 0.4 cm wide. Column short, less than half as long as the lip, column-foot rather long. Anther reniform-cucullate, in front truncate, dorsally with a low umbo, glabrous. Ovary cylindrical, subsessile, glabrous, c. 1.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905).
Colours: Flowers scarlet with paler tips, anther dark violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 500-1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June, July, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 272-4M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.