Phreatia pleistantha Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16 (1919) 129
Type: Kempter s.n. (Kaiser Wilhelmsland, area behind Vanimo) (holo B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, 10-20 cm high; roots filiform, flexuose, thin, glabrous. Stem very short, entirely covered with the striate-veined, tightly clasping leaf-sheaths, 5-10-leaved. Leaves suberect, obliquely and narrowly ligulate, narrowed towards the apex, subacute, gradually somewhat narrowed towards the base, subcoriaceous, 7-15 cm long, near the middle 0.4-0.9 cm wide. Inflorescence erect, densely very many-flowered, elongated, including the peduncle up to 16 cm long, with a few peduncle-scales. Floral bracts erect-patent, elliptic-ovate, acuminate, the lower ones usually a little longer than the flowers, the upper ones gradually a little smaller. Flowers minute, glabrous, not resupinated. Sepals broadly ovate, obtuse, about 0.1 cm long; lateral sepals strongly oblique, at the base along the front margin strongly dilated; mentum obtuse, short. Petals obliquely oblong, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base oblong-cuneate, in apical half broadly rhombic, broadly obtuse, about as long as the sepals. Column short, rather thick, glabrous; rostellum shortly bidentate, a little shorter than the clinandrium. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, glabrous, c. 0.1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1919)
Colours: Not recorded.
Habitat: Epiphyte.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea, hinterland of Vanimo.
Cultivation: Epiphyte.