Eria lancilabris Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 657
Type: Schlechter 20177 (holo B, lost)
Epiphyte, erect, 20-25 cm high; rhizome very short, roots thin, filiform, elongated, flexuose, minutely puberulous; pseudobulbs rather close together, cylindrical, at first covered with closely appressed sheaths, at apex 2-3-leaved, 7-13 cm long, in the middle or above 0.4-0.6 cm diameter; leaves erect-patent, linear, acute, gradually somewhat narrowed towards the base, glabrous, 12-17 cm long, near the middle 0.5-0.9 cm wide; Inflorescence arising laterally near the apices of the pseudobulbs, erect-patent, laxly 10-15-flowered, distinctly less than half as long as the leaves, peduncle short; bracts lanceolate, acuminate, about half as long as the ovary, recurved. Flowers erect-patent, glabrous. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, acute, 0.9 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, at the base somewhat dilated along the front margin, mentum obtuse, very short. Petals obliquely linear-lanceolate, acute, 0.75 cm long, glabrous. Lip in outline lanceolate, acute, in basal third sublobulate-dilated, at the base cuneate, 0.4 cm long, at one third above the base 0.2 cm wide, in basal third with two low, short, almost parallel lamellae towards the margins. Column short, glabrous, semiterete, 2 cm high, column-foot short, lateral lobes of the clinandrium rounded, median lobe minute, tooth-like. Anther about helmet-shaped-cucullate, glabrous, in front obtuse. Ovary subpedicellate, slender, 0.7 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flower white, at the base violet-red, lip in basal half cherry-red, ovary violet-red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 282-368M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.