Phreatia rhomboglossa Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 190
Type: Schlechter 14649 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, BR, BRI, K, P)
Epiphytic, erect, simple, to 20 cm high; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Stem very short, almost lacking, entirely covered with the leaf-sheaths. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, apex shortly and unequally bilobulate, subcoriaceous, glabrous, 7-14 cm long, near the middle 0.9-1.6 cm wide, towards the base sometimes somewhat narrowed. Inflorescence erect, subflexuose, surpassing the leaves, apex laxly many-flowered, elongated, with a few distant small, acuminate peduncle-scales. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, shorter than the pedicellate, ovary. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals broadly ovate, obtuse, glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique, along the front margin a little dilated, 0.1 cm long. Petals oblong-subrhombic, obtuse, somewhat oblique, somewhat smaller than the sepals. Lip broadly rhombic, obtuse, almost as long as the sepals, glabrous. Column short, foot short; clinandrium dorsally widened, triangular, lobed. Anther subreniform, obtuse; pollinia 8, pear-shaped; stipe linear, as long as the pollinia. Ovary pedicellate, glabrous, clavate, 0.2 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower pure white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 600 to 850 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-216M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.
Note: Possibly conspecific with Phreatia micrantha (A.Rich.) Lindl.