Phreatia leptophylla Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 939
Type: Schlechter 17169 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, L)
Epiphytic, very small, 4-6 cm high. Rhizome creeping; roots filiform, glabrous, pseudobulbs 0.7-1.2 cm apart, subglobose, c. 0.2 cm diam., 2-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, narrow, oblanceolate-ligulate, subacute, rather thin-textured, 1.5-3 cm long, near the middle 0.35-0.5 cm wide, towards the base weakly petiolate-narrowed. Inflorescence slender, erect, laxly 10-15-flowered; peduncle filiform, with small scales, more or less overtopping the leaves. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, about half as long as the ovary. Flowers very small, secund, glabrous. Sepals broadly ovate, apiculate, 0.15 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, in front somewhat dilated. Petals obliquely elliptic, obtuse, shorter than the sepals. Lip almost as long as the sepals; claw almost square, at the base concave; blade broadly reniform subapiculate, c. 0.06 cm long, at the base 0.1 cm wide. Column short; rostellum overtopping the clinandrium. Anther broadly ovate-cordate, subobtuse; pollinia obovoid; stipe linear almost as long as the pollinia; viscidium minute, oblong. Ovary pedicellate, glabrous, clavate, c. 0.23 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-117M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.