Phreatia similis

Phreatia similis Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1923) 150

Type: Ledermann 8151 (holo B, lost)

Epiphytic, very small, slender, 10-14 cm high. Stems short, entirely covered with the overlapping leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, subfalcate-oblique, unequally and obtusely bilobulate, ligulate or linear-ligulate, 4-6 by 0.5-0.75 cm, slightly narrowed towards the base, glabrous; leaf-sheaths striate, obtusely at the apex. Inflorescence erect, slender, 10-14 cm long, rather laxly many-flowered; peduncle slender, with a few peduncle-scales, nearly as long as the leaves. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, nearly as long as the pedicellate ovary. Flowers minute, glabrous. Sepals broadly ovate, about 0.1 cm long, obtuse or broadly obtuse. Lateral sepals oblique; mentum obtuse. Petals obliquely ovate-elliptic, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip nearly as long as the sepals, at the base concave, ovate-clawed, blade abruptly strongly dilated, broadly reniform, at the apex subobtuse. Column short, rather thick; clinandrium dorsally widened, distinctly overtopping the rostellum, foot short. Ovary slender-pedicellate, clavate, 0.25-0.3 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1923)

Colours: Flower pure white.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 100 m.

Flowering time in the wild: August.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-238M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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