Eria robusta (Blume) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (1830) 69
Basionym: Dendrolirium robustum
An epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs fusiform-cylindrical, 4-6 by 1.5 cm, covered by 4-8 acute, distichous cataphylls, 2- to 3-leaved at apex. Leaves erect, coriaceous, oblanceolate to narrowly oblong, acute or obtuse, 16-37.5 by 2.3-6 cm, tapering into a stout or slender petiole at base. Inflorescence lateral, emerging from the axil of a sheath, erect, 16-30 cm long, densely many-flowered on a cylindrical rachis. Flowers covered with stellate hairs. Pedicel and ovary 0.6 cm long, covered with stellate hairs. Median sepal ovate, subacute, concave, 0.3 by 0.2 cm. Lateral sepals oblong-elliptic, oblique, obtuse, 0.65 by 0.2 cm; mentum cylindrical-rounded, 0.3-0.4 cm long. Petals linear, obtuse, 0.25 by 0.1 cm. Lip concave, oblong, very obscurely 3-lobed, 0.45 by 0.16 cm, reflexed at apex, ecallose. Column 0.1 cm long, the column-foot 0.3-0.4 cm long. (After Lewis and Cribb, 1991).
Colours: Flowers cream-coloured with brown hairs.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 0-1400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: Not known
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, New Guinea), Thailand, India, Southeast Asia, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, New Caledonia.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 282-651M.JPG
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.