Eria pseudoleiophylla J.J.Wood, Orchid Rev. 89 (1981) 209, fig. 179, fig.
Type: Forestry Dept. Field no. 154 (Sabah, Mt. Kinabalu) (holo K; iso SAN)
An epiphytic herb 17-28 cm high including the leaves. Rhizome incumbent, internodes 7-14 cm long, covered with slightly overlapping, cupuliform, tubular, ferruginous, pubescent sheaths, each 1.5-2 by 0.8-1.3 cm. Roots filiform, branching, pubescent. Pseudobulbs cylindrical, fusiform, slightly swollen at the base, (6-)10-13 cm long, (0.6-)0.8 cm diam., with 3-4 ovate to ovate-elliptic, acute, tubular, fawn to ferruginous, pubescent sheaths, 2- to 4-leaved. Leaves narrowly elliptic, shortly petiolate, sheathing at the base, unequally bilobed, petiole 0.5-1 cm long, blade (10.2-)14-17.5 by (1.5-)1.8-2.8 cm, glabrous except for the fawn, pubescent sheathing base. Inflorescences 2-3 on each pseudobulb, 4-5(-6)-flowered, rachis up to 1.5 cm long, enclosed in overlapping, ovate, obtuse, convex, ferruginous, pubescent, c. 0.8 cm long floral bracts. Ovary sessile, accrescent, 0.4 by 0.3 cm, to 1.3cm long when mature, ferruginous, pubescent. Sepals and petals ferruginous, pubescent, particularly on the outer surface. Sepals thick, fleshy. Median sepal narrowly elliptic to ovate-oblong, obtuse, 0.8-0.9 by 0.3-0.4 cm. Lateral sepals ovate-oblong, slightly oblique, 0.8-0.9 by (0.4-)0.6-0.7 cm. Petals ligulate or oblong, obtuse, fleshy, 0.7-0.8 by 0.2-0.25 cm. Lip entire, rhomboid, obtuse, V-shaped in cross section, fleshy, apex thickened and minutely papillose, glabrous above, hirsute below, callus a narrow fleshy band extending from near the base, where it is broadest, to below the apex, 0.7 by 0.4 cm. Column-foot curved, 0.3 cm long. Anther ovate, cucullate, emarginate, smooth or rugose, 0.1 by 0.1 cm. (After Wood, 1981).
Colours: Rhizome sheaths reddish-brown. Pseudobulbs yellowish-green. Flowers mustard yellow, sepals and petals turning brownish-purple to blackish-purple with age, sepals with buff to ferruginous hairs, lip dark purple, column orange distally.
Habitat: Epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2027 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 282-592M.JPG
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.