Trichotosia flexuosa (J.J.Sm.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 26 (1971) 179
Basionym: Eria flexuosa
Stems elongated, slightly flexuose, almost glabrous, to more than 32 cm long, internodes to 2.4 cm long, in the apical part to 1 cm long. Leaves patent, linear-lanceolate, oblique, long unilaterally acuminate, with narrowly obtuse tip, sparsely patent-hairy, above becoming glabrous, when dried coriaceous, 5-11 by 0.67-1.2 cm when dried; leaf-sheath tubular, about as long as the internodes or a little longer, hairy, the hairs more or less deciduous. Inflorescence from arising from a node, perforating one or two sheaths, patent, shorter than the leaves, laxly 8- to 10-flowered, 5-6 cm long; peduncle short, thin, patent-hairy, with two large, obliquely tubular, hairy peduncle-scales; rachis thin, strongly flexuose, hairy like the peduncle, internodes 0.4-0.65 cm long. Floral bracts semi-reflexed, strongly concave, clasping the ovary, at the base suborbicular, abruptly triangular acuminate, dorsally hairy, 0.45 by 0.35 cm. Flowers widely patent, 0.5 cm long. Sepals dorsally long patent-hairy. Median sepal oblong-subovate, obtuse, obtusely conical-apiculate, concave, 3-nerved, 0.45 by 0.2 cm. Lateral sepals with an obliquely oblong strip decurrent on the column-foot, obliquely triangular, back margins slightly curved, obtuse, conspicuously obtusely conical-apiculate, concave, 3-nerved, 0.33 cm long, along the front margin 0.53 cm long, at the base 0.4 cm wide; mentum fairly short, making an acute angle with the ovary, obtuse, not contracted at the base, 0.14 cm long. Petals straight, obliquely linear, at the apex somewhat spathulate-dilated, obtuse, long erect-patent hirsute-ciliate, 3-nerved, with inconspicuous outer nerves, 0.45 cm long, near the middle 0.1 cm wide, at the apex 0.1 cm wide. Lip erect, making an acute angle with the column-foot, concave, in apical third 3-lobed, with recurved mid-lobe, 0.36 cm long, when flattened in outline obovate-6-angular, at the base truncate, retuse, 0.45 cm long, to the tips of the lateral lobes 0.35 cm long, at the base 0.14 cm wide, in the apical part 0.28 cm wide, inside especially along the margins papillose, with two inconspicuous keels at the base extending to the base of the mid-lobe, with a smaller keel in between, all vanishing towards the apex; lateral lobes erect, falcate-incurved, free tip very short, obtusely triangular; mid-lobe transversely quadrangular, slightly contracted at the base, 0.13 by 0.17 cm, apex obtusely bilobulate, with slightly irregular margins, papillose-ciliolate. Column short, straight, dorsally flattened and convex, glabrous, slightly more than 0.2 cm long; clinandrium transverse, apex broad, the auricles a little longer, rounded-quadrangular, concave; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the column, making an acute angle with the ovary, straight, oblong, at the apex somewhat dilated and truncate, concave with small longitudinal rib, 0.17 cm long. Anther cucullate, reniform, 0.1 cm wide, with convex connective, apex shortly elongated, obtuse. Ovary obliquely obconical, somewhat appressed long-hairy, underneath patent-hairy, 0.35 cm long. (After Smith, 1934)
Colours: Hairs dark red-brown. Flower reddish brown with light lip.
Habitat: Epiphyte in (lower) montane forest; 500 to 2000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, July, August, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 704-35M.JPG.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.