Eria cycloglossa

Eria cycloglossa Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 659

Type: Schlechter 19912 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, G, L, S)

Epiphyte, scrambling, up to 40 cm long; rhizome elongated, flexuose, somewhat thickened, entirely covered with clasping scale-leaves; roots thin, filiform, elongated, flexuose, minutely puberulous; pseudobulbs 5-8 cm distant, cylindrical, at first covered with clasping sheaths which soon dry out, at apex 5-6-leaved, 5-8 cm high, near the middle 0.7-1 cm diameter; leaves erect-patent, elliptic-ligulate, acute, at the base gradually subpetiolate-narrowed, glabrous, 7-12 cm long, near the middle 1.2-2.1 cm wide; Inflorescence lateral in upper half of the pseudobulbs, erect-patent, rather densely many-flowered, about as long as the leaves, peduncle short; bracts elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, somewhat shorter than the ovary. Flowers erect-patent, glabrous. Sepals lanceolate, acute, 0.5 cm long. Lateral sepals subfalcate, at the base widened along the front margin, mentum short, obtuse. Petals obliquely lanceolate-ligulate, acute, slightly more than 0.4 cm long. Lip orbicular, apiculate, almost 0.2 cm long, entire, in basal half with two semilunate, somewhat divergent lamellae. Column semiterete, glabrous, 0.13 cm high, column-foot ascending, lateral lobes of the clinandrium almost absent, median lobe low. Anther rounded-cucullate, thickly umbonate, glabrous. Ovary slender, sparsely stellate-puberulous, 0.35 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)

Colours: Flower white, lip deep carmine red with yellow apex and white base.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 450-975 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, June.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 282-180M.JPG

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

Note: Similar in its long creeping habit to Eria truncicola.

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