Eria oligotricha Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 181
Type: Schlechter 14353 (holo B, lost; iso K)
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs crowded, 2-leaved, cylindric, terete, later becoming rugulose, 6-9 by 0.3-0.5 cm. Leaves erect-patent, lanceolate, 6-8 by 1-1.5 cm, subcoriaceous, glabrous, base subpetiolate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences lateral from the pseudobulbs, racemose, erect-patent, often shorter than the leaves, laxely 8-15-flowered. Floral bracts recurved, ovate, less than half as long as the ovary, apex acute. Pedicel and ovary 1.2 cm long, cylindric, with sparse stellate hairs. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal oblong, 0.8 cm long, glabrous, apex narrowly obtuse. Lateral sepals widened at the base along the front margin, 0.8 cm by 6 mm, glabrous. Petals obliquely oblong, 0.7 cm long, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed, 0.7 by 0.5 cm, basal part oblong, at the base with 3 minute calli, at the apex with a large, obtuse callosity; lateral lobes small, oblong-falcate, obtuse; mid-lobe large, subquadrate-rounded, somewhat constricted near the middle, apex emarginate; glabrous. Column short, slightly constricted below the apex, clinandrium low. (After Schlechter, 1905).
Colours: Sepals and petals yellowish with red veins. Lip yellow, lateral lobes red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April.
Distribution: Moluccas, New Guinea.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 282-518M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.
Note: A very common species, quite similar to Eria xanthocheila Ridl. from western Malesia.